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In the Heart of Radiology, for Valentine's Day

¹ Department of Radiology, Institut Gustave-Roussy, 39 rue Camille Desmoulins, F-94805 Villejuif Cedex, France.
² Department of Medicine, Institut Gustave-Roussy, F-94805 Villejuif Cedex, France.
³ Cabinet de Radiologie, 9 rue Daru 75008 Paris, France.

Received July 24, 2000; accepted after revision September 5, 2000.

Address correspondence to B. Mesurolle.

L'image n'est pas l'objet.

The image is not the object.

René Magritte

Complete Writings

Love is everywhere.

At the dawn of the 21st century, and especially for the forthcoming Valentine's day, we thought it appropriate to give some time to the universal theme of love. We decided to review some very "love-ly" images (Figs. 1A,1B,2A,2B,2C,2D,3A,3B,3C,3D,4A,4B,4C,5A,5B,5C,6A,6B,6C,6D,6E,7A,7B,7C,7D,8,9). The purpose is to describe and give an overview of several heart-shaped lesions or anatomic structures encountered during our daily radiologic practice. Because Paris is the capital of love and we French are very sentimental, we decided to share our work with you, hoping that you will find it as interesting and entertaining as we have.

View larger version (121K): [in this window] [in a new window] [as a PowerPoint slide]   Fig. 1A. —Fetal imaging. Some promising beginnings at the heart of life in heart-shaped ovular sacs.

View larger version (127K): [in this window] [in a new window] [as a PowerPoint slide]   Fig. 1B. —Fetal imaging. Some promising beginnings at the heart of life in heart-shaped ovular sacs.

View larger version (89K): [in this window] [in a new window] [as a PowerPoint slide]   Fig. 2A. —Gastrointestinal imaging. One way to a man's heart is through his stomach or his esophagus.

View larger version (125K): [in this window] [in a new window] [as a PowerPoint slide]   Fig. 2B. —Gastrointestinal imaging. One way to a man's heart is through his stomach or his esophagus.

View larger version (142K): [in this window] [in a new window] [as a PowerPoint slide]   Fig. 2C. —Gastrointestinal imaging. Pepper-and-salt heart-shaped rectum is better visualized on inverted image (D).

View larger version (140K): [in this window] [in a new window] [as a PowerPoint slide]   Fig. 2D. —Gastrointestinal imaging. Pepper-and-salt heart-shaped rectum is better visualized on inverted image (D).

View larger version (170K): [in this window] [in a new window] [as a PowerPoint slide]   Fig. 3A. —Musculoskeletal imaging. Spinal valentines, anterior (A) and posterior (B).

View larger version (165K): [in this window] [in a new window] [as a PowerPoint slide]   Fig. 3B. —Musculoskeletal imaging. Spinal valentines, anterior (A) and posterior (B).

View larger version (174K): [in this window] [in a new window] [as a PowerPoint slide]   Fig. 3C. —Musculoskeletal imaging. Unusual location on this coronal T2-weighted image of the pelvis.

View larger version (174K): [in this window] [in a new window] [as a PowerPoint slide]   Fig. 3D. —Musculoskeletal imaging. Note heart-shaped biceps femoris muscle on this axial T2-weighted image of the knee.

View larger version (121K): [in this window] [in a new window] [as a PowerPoint slide]   Fig. 4A. —Chest imaging. The nasty side of Cupid. Note its better visualization on inverted images.

View larger version (118K): [in this window] [in a new window] [as a PowerPoint slide]   Fig. 4B. —Chest imaging. The nasty side of Cupid. Note its better visualization on inverted images.

View larger version (144K): [in this window] [in a new window] [as a PowerPoint slide]   Fig. 4C. —Chest imaging. Close to the big heart, sometimes you can find a small heart.

View larger version (146K): [in this window] [in a new window] [as a PowerPoint slide]   Fig. 5A. —Hepatobiliary imaging. A romantic liver cyst that has fallen in love with the liver.

View larger version (151K): [in this window] [in a new window] [as a PowerPoint slide]   Fig. 5B. —Hepatobiliary imaging. A former and calcified love located in the liver.

View larger version (101K): [in this window] [in a new window] [as a PowerPoint slide]   Fig. 5C. —Hepatobiliary imaging. This patient takes his gallbladder to heart.

View larger version (78K): [in this window] [in a new window] [as a PowerPoint slide]   Fig. 6A. —Vascular imaging. Superior (A, B) and inferior (C) vena cava are probably best way to a man's heart. Note better visualization on inverted image (B).

View larger version (99K): [in this window] [in a new window] [as a PowerPoint slide]   Fig. 6B. —Vascular imaging. Superior (A, B) and inferior (C) vena cava are probably best way to a man's heart. Note better visualization on inverted image (B).

View larger version (118K): [in this window] [in a new window] [as a PowerPoint slide]   Fig. 6C. —Vascular imaging. Superior (A, B) and inferior (C) vena cava are probably best way to a man's heart. Note better visualization on inverted image (B).

View larger version (111K): [in this window] [in a new window] [as a PowerPoint slide]   Fig. 6D. —Vascular imaging. Cupid is hiding behind that normal Doppler spectrum.

View larger version (147K): [in this window] [in a new window] [as a PowerPoint slide]   Fig. 6E. —Vascular imaging. A dangerous but romantic aortic abdominal aneurysm.

View larger version (155K): [in this window] [in a new window] [as a PowerPoint slide]   Fig. 7A. —Genitourinary imaging. A broken heart is probably responsible for this perirenal hematoma.

View larger version (146K): [in this window] [in a new window] [as a PowerPoint slide]   Fig. 7B. —Genitourinary imaging. A heart-shaped sinus cyst.

View larger version (150K): [in this window] [in a new window] [as a PowerPoint slide]   Fig. 7C. —Genitourinary imaging. A lovely chubby-cheeked prostate.

View larger version (122K): [in this window] [in a new window] [as a PowerPoint slide]   Fig. 7D. —Genitourinary imaging. For once, an appealing bladder after micturition.

View larger version (156K): [in this window] [in a new window] [as a PowerPoint slide]   Fig. 8. —Breast imaging. A simple lovely little cyst of the breast.

View larger version (141K): [in this window] [in a new window] [as a PowerPoint slide]   Fig. 9. —Head and neck imaging. A heart-shaped anterior palatine duct to say "I love you."

Over the past decade, we collected heart-shaped images in all the departments in which we worked, accumulating approximately 20 cases. If there is one side effect inherent to some of the new and wonderful techniques that are available to us, it is unintentional discovery of oddly shaped lesions or images. Different techniques were used, from conventional radiography to sonography, CT, and MR imaging. Most areas of the body were reviewed, leaving no organ untouched.

Our report indicates that screening for heart-shaped images shows an excellent level of agreement, with near 100% interobserver reliability, probably potentiated by the fact that most of the authors are friends and colleagues. Curiosity and a taste for play were responsible for the high rate of detection. A strong correlation was observed between the rate of discovery and the radiologist's mood of the day. All the techniques shown have the same accuracy, but some pictures were better defined with postprocessing techniques such as black—white inversion (Figs. 2D, 4C, and 6B) on CT images, or orientation (upside down) on sonographic images (Figs. 1B and 7D).

The literature contains many anecdotal reports of heart-shaped images [1,2,3,4], but this article is the first, to our knowledge, that is devoted to the recognition of lovely heart-shaped forms in radiologic imaging. It is intended to acquaint the more-and-more-technical radiologist with the rare tradition of looking out for Cupid's objects.

Even if radiology requires a high level of attention and a serious attitude, incidental extraorganic objects such as heart-shaped images may pop out on your screens and provide joy and distraction in your daily activity. Amusement is only a heartbeat away.

As Welch [1] said, "Love is were you find it!"

But as we French say, "L'amour, toujours l'amour!"

References

1. Welch M. Love is where you find it: happy Valentine's day. (photo page) AJR 1994;162:324
2. Mengoni P. Heart-shaped calcification. (photo page) AJR 1998;170:296
3. LeBlang SD. Valentine. (photo page) AJR 2000;174:454[Free Full Text]
4. Daly CA. Romantic but simple liver cyst. (photo page) AJR 1997;168:350

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This Article Figures Only Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Mesurolle, B. Articles by Goumot, P.-A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Mesurolle, B. Articles by Goumot, P.-A. Social Bookmarking                      What's this? Hotlight (NEW!) What's Hotlight?