Acute pulmonary embolism and a patent foramen ovale: analysis of atrial right-to-left shunting by biphasic transcardiopulmonary thermodilution curves

A 69-year-old woman with an acute pulmonary embolism developed an intracardiac right-to-left shunt, which was diagnosed early on and quantified via biphasic transcardiopulmonary thermodilution curves. With transesophageal echocardiography, a patent foramen ovale and an impressive atrial right-to-left shunt were visualized.