Etymed
cardiomegaly
Definition
abnormal enlargement of the heart
Clinical context
A 65-year-old male presents with progressive dyspnea and fatigue over several months. Chest X-ray reveals a widened cardiac silhouette with an enlarged cardiac shadow. Echocardiography confirms global left ventricular dilation with reduced ejection fraction. The patient's symptoms are attributed to dilated cardiomyopathy with resultant cardiomegaly.
Mnemonic
CARDIOMEgaly = CARDIac +OMEga (large heart like omega symbol)