# Echocardiographic Contrast Delineation of Left and Right Ventricular Dissection: Insights on Broken Boundaries

## TL;DR

This case study shows how echocardiographic contrast agents can help identify complex heart dissections after a heart attack.

## Contribution

The study presents a novel use of echocardiographic contrast to visualize a rare dissection network involving both ventricles.

## Key findings

- Echocardiographic contrast agents helped delineate a complex dissection network involving the right ventricular free wall.
- The use of contrast imaging was critical for diagnosing and guiding treatment in a post-MI patient.
- This case highlights the importance of contrast-enhanced imaging in evaluating post-MI ventricular dissections.

## Abstract

Post–myocardial infarction (MI) ventricular septal defect (VSD) is a life-threatening complication that may involve ventricular septal dissection. There are few reports describing combined VSD and right ventricular free wall dissection or the use of echocardiographic contrast to delineate this pathology.

A 77-year-old patient with a history of coronary artery bypass presented with MI. Two-dimensional echocardiography and echocardiographic contrast-enhanced imaging helped to delineate a VSD with a complex dissection network extending into the right ventricular free wall.

This case underscores the importance of echocardiographic contrast agents for prompt and thorough evaluation of post-MI dissection networks, which was critical for facilitating diagnosis and guiding clinical decision-making.

This case highlights the use of echocardiographic contrast agents to delineate a complex dissection network involving both ventricles originating from a VSD in a patient after MI.