Chilaiditi's sign or syndrome? Diagnostic question in two patients with concurrent cardiovascular diseases.

Abstract

Chilaiditi's sign is the asymptomatic, usually incidental radiographic finding, in which a part of the intestine is located between the liver and the diaphragm. The term Chilaiditi syndrome is referred to cases with symptomatic hepatodiaphragmatic interposition. Chilaiditi's syndrome is usually associated with abdominal or lower thoracic symptoms. We present here the cases of two patients that were admitted with predominantly thoracic atypical pain. During cardiac work up, it was found that there was a concurrent heart disease for which both patients were managed. Although both patients were treated for the heart disease, a full conservative treatment was implemented, having in mind that Chilaiditi's syndrome instead of sign could be responsible for the symptoms. Patients' course was uneventful and they are regularly followed up.