Snapshot
- A 40-year-old woman presents to her primary care physician for a wellness exam. She currently does not have any acute concerns and reports to feeling well. She has not seen a physician in 20 years but presents today to be tested for sexually transmitted infections at the request of her new partner. She says she may have had a vaginal sore about 17 years ago. She had many sexual partners and infrequently uses condoms. On physical exam, cardiac auscultation is significant for a tambour-like quality S2 heart sound along with a diastolic decrescendo murmur in the left sternal border. A chest radiograph demonstrates calcifications of the ascending aortic arch.
Introduction
- Clinical definition
- a cardiac complication of tertiary syphilis, where the vasa vasorum becomes impaired
- this leads to ischemic injury to the aortic media
- a cardiac complication of tertiary syphilis, where the vasa vasorum becomes impaired
- Pathogenesis
- aortic valve regurgitation
Imaging
- Radiography of the chest
- findings
- calcification of the ascending aortic arch (usually)
- this reflects intimal inflammation
- calcification of the ascending aortic arch (usually)
- findings