Right Ventricular Enlargement
Overview
Look For
- An up-turned apex
- Loss of space between the cardiac shadow and the sternum on lateral chest x-ray
Causes of Right Ventricular Enlargement
Hypertrophy
- Cor pulmonale - pulmonary arterial hypertension, chronic lung disease, chronic pulmonary embolism
- Valvular disease - tricuspid regurgitation, mitral stenosis
- Congenital heart disease - atrial septal defect, ventricular septal defect, tetralogy of Fallot
Dilation
- Dilated cardiomyopathy - familial, ischaemic, alcoholic, viral myocarditis, drugs, connective tissue disease, tachycardia-mediated, peripartum
Other
- Infiltrative disease - haemochromatosis, amyloidosis, sarcoidosis
- Hyperdynamic state - anaemia, hyperthyroidism, obesity, AV fistula
- Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy
- Constrictive pericarditis
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