J Cardiovasc Ultrasound.  2015 Jun;23(2):107-112. 10.4250/jcu.2015.23.2.107.

Unusual Diaphragmatic Hernias Mimicking Cardiac Masses

• Kim SH
• Kim MG
• Kim SJ
• Moon J
• Kang WC
• Shin MS
• Chung WJ

• KMID: 1806920
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4250/jcu.2015.23.2.107

Abstract

Hiatal hernia and Morgagni hernia are sorts of diaphragmatic hernias that are rarely detected on transthoracic echocardiography. Although echocardiographic findings have an important role for differential diagnosis of cardiac masses, we often might overlook diaphragmatic hernia. We report three cases of diaphragmatic hernias having specific features. The first case is huge hiatal hernia that encroaches left atrium with internal swirling flow on transthoracic echocardiography. The second case is a hiatal hernia that encroaches on both atria, incidentally detected on preoperative echocardiography. The third case is Morgagni hernia which encroaches on the right atrium only. So, we need to consider possibility of diaphragmatic hernia when we find a cardiac mass with specific echocardiographic features.

Keyword

Cardiac mass; Echocardiography; Diaphragmatic hernia; Hiatal hernia; Morgagni hernia

MeSH Terms

Diagnosis, Differential
Echocardiography
Heart Atria
Hernia
Hernia, Diaphragmatic*
Hernia, Hiatal