Small heart sign
Last revised by Bahman Rasuli on 30 Aug 2020
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
Botz B, Foster T, Murphy A, Small heart sign. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 18 Apr 2024) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-73726
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rID:
73726
Article created:
20 Jan 2020,
Bálint Botz ◉
Disclosures:
At the time the article was created Bálint Botz had no recorded disclosures.
View Bálint Botz's current disclosures
Last revised:
30 Aug 2020,
Bahman Rasuli ◉
Disclosures:
At the time the article was last revised Bahman Rasuli had no recorded disclosures.
View Bahman Rasuli's current disclosures
Revisions:
3 times, by
3 contributors -
see full revision history and disclosures
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The small heart sign represents a rarely encountered but critical sign on chest caused by a sudden reduction of heart size caused by cardiac tamponade due to either tension pneumopericardium or pneumomediastinum.
A sudden, >2 cm reduction in the transverse cardiac diameter is considered highly suggestive of tamponade. Unfortunately, the exact measurement necessitates the immediate availability of a recent, comparable prior radiograph. Nevertheless, it has been shown to be a helpful feature in following up on a known pneumopericardium/pneumomediastinum and aiding the prompt diagnosis of a developing tension component 1.
References
- 1. S E Mirvis, M Indeck, R M Schorr, J N Diaconis. Posttraumatic tension pneumopericardium: the "small heart" sign. (1986) Radiology. 158 (3): 663-9. doi:10.1148/radiology.158.3.3945735 - Pubmed
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