大倉 宏之, 吉川 純一, 吉田 清, 赤阪 隆史, 赤土 正洋, 高木 力, 三宅 仁

Hiroyuki OKURA, Junichi YOSHIKAWA, Kiyoshi YOSHIDA, Takashi AKASAKA, Masahiro SHAKUDO, Tsutomu TAKAGI, Shinobu MIYAKE

神戸市立中央市民病院循環器センター内科

Department of Cardiology, Kobe General Hospital

キーワード : Transesophageal echocardiography, Pulmonary embolism

Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is more useful in visualizing the proximal portion of the pulmonary artery than transth racic echocardiography. We examined eight patients with suspected pulmonary embolism by TEE to detect thrombi. We observed pulmonary artery thrombi in four cases and a right atrial thrombus in one case. In three cases, TEE provided the only diagnostic evidence on admission. In two cases, we successfully performed surgical embolectomy with the help of TEE. Although some limitations are apparent, TEE is useful in detecting pulmonary artery thrombi at the bed side, thus contributing to the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism.