EVALUATION OF CARDIAC INVOLVEMENT IN A PATIENT WITH A GUNSHOT WOUND

We report the case of a patient with a gunshot wound in the chest with a multiple small-caliber intrathoracic projectiles. The different non invasive techniques employed to evaluate the anatomical location of th ese projectiles are discussed, together with their cardiac structural repercussions. The data provided by a simple chest X-ray, Computed Tom ography (CT) and transthoracic echocardiography are commented on. A si mple chest X-ray was unable to discern the location of the projectiles , in contrast to CT, which was able to identify both the number of pro jectiles and their location. The information provided was enhanced by transthoracic echocardiography, particularly in relation to those proj ectiles situated in anterior cardiac regions.