Gl. Chang et al., DIAGNOSIS OF ESOPHAGEAL-VARICES BY TRANSESOPHAGEAL ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY -A MIMICKER OF AORTIC DISEASE, Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography, 10(3), 1997, pp. 231-235
The use of transesophageal echocardiography is well established in the
emergency department diagnosis of traumatic aortic diseases. It has v
ery high sensitivity and specificity compared with those of other test
s. The physician performing transesophageal echocardiography should be
aware of conditions that can mimic aortic pathologic conditions, thus
leading to an incorrect diagnosis. We report a case in which the pres
ence of previously undiagnosed esophageal varices mimicked traumatic a
ortic disease.