Saphenous vein graft aneurysm presenting as an anterior mediastinal mass. (Images in Cardiology).(Brief Article)

A 63 year old man underwent coronary artery bypass grafting in 1995 from which he made an excellent recovery. In early 2000 he was admitted to hospital with a lower respiratory tract infection. A chest x ray taken at the time suggested a large anterior mediastinal mass. Subsequent computed tomographic scanning demonstrated a 10 x 10 cm mass in the anterior mediastinum, with calcification in the walls. This mass was not present in 1995.

Transthoracic and transoesophageal echocardiograms showed an anterior mediastinal mass compressing the right ventricular outflow tract, and colour flow Doppler demonstrated blood communicating with the mass from the aortic wall, but the …