Signs and symptoms
Shortness of breath is the most common symptom, followed by face or arm swelling.Following are frequent symptoms:

Difficulty breathing
Headache
Facial swelling
Venous distention in the neck and distended veins in the upper chest and arms
Migraines (especially if unusual to normal)
Large decrease in lung capacity
Facial swelling after bending/laying down
Upper limb edema
Lightheadedness
Cough
Edema (swelling) of the neck, called the collar of Stokes
Pembertons signSuperior vena cava syndrome usually presents more gradually with an increase in symptoms over time as malignancies increase in size or invasiveness. Cause
Over 80% of cases are caused by malignant tumors compressing the superior vena cava. Lung cancer, usually small cell carcinoma, comprises 75–80% of these cases and non-Hodgkin lymphoma, most commonly diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, comprises 10–15%. Rare malignant causes include  Hodgkins lymphoma, metastatic cancers, leukemia, leiomyosarcoma of the mediastinal vessels, and plasmocytoma. Syphilis and tuberculosis have also been known to cause superior vena cava syndrome. SVCS can be caused by invasion or compression by a pathological process or by a deep vein thrombosis in the vein itself, although this latter is less common (approximately 35% due to the use of intravascular devices). Diagnosis
The main techniques of diagnosing SVCS are with chest X-rays (CXR), CT scans, transbronchial needle aspiration at bronchoscopy and mediastinoscopy. CXRs often provide the ability to show mediastinal widening and may show the presenting primary cause of SVCS. However, 16% of people with SVC syndrome have a normal chest X-ray. CT scans should be contrast enhanced and be taken on the neck, chest, lower abdomen, and pelvis.
Ectasia (), also called ectasis (), is dilation or distention of a tubular structure, either normal or pathophysiologic but usually the latter (except in atelectasis, where absence of ectasis is the problem). Specific conditions
Bronchiectasis, chronic dilatation of the bronchi
Duct ectasia of breast, a dilated milk duct. Duct ectasia syndrome is a synonym for nonpuerperal (unrelated to pregnancy and breastfeeding) mastitis. Dural ectasia, dilation of the dural sac surrounding the spinal cord, usually in the very low back. Pyelectasis, dilation of a part of the kidney, most frequently seen in prenatal ultrasounds. It usually resolves on its own. Rete tubular ectasia, dilation of tubular structures in the testicles. It is usually found in older men. Acral arteriolar ectasia
Corneal ectasia (secondary keratoconus), a bulging of the cornea.Vascular ectasiasMost broadly, any abnormal dilatation of a blood vessel, including aneurysms
Annuloaortic ectasia, dilation of the aorta. It can be associated with Marfan syndrome. Dolichoectasias, weakening of arteries, usually caused by high blood pressure. Intracranial dolichoectasias, dilation of arteries inside the head. Gastric antral vascular ectasia, dilation of small blood vessels in the last part of the stomach. Telangiectasias are small dilated blood vessels found anywhere on the body, but commonly seen on the face around the nose, cheeks, and chin. Venous ectasia, dilation of veins or venules, such as:
Chronic venous insufficiency, often in the leg
Jugular vein ectasia, in the jugular veins returning blood from the head

See also
All pages with titles beginning with Ectasia
All pages with titles containing Ectasia


== References ==