title: A right atrial mass and a pseudomass.
abstract: Right atrial (RA) masses are rare entities often detected incidentally during imaging studies. Leading etiologies of right atrial masses are tumor, thrombi, and vegetations. We present two cases of right atrial masses, a cardiac lipoma and an artifact. Clinical and echocardiographic characteristics of benign cardiac tumors are reviewed. We then highlight the importance of considering artifact in the differential diagnosis of atrial masses. Finally, we discuss echocardiographic characteristics of right atrial masses that may provide clues for diagnosis. Right atrial masses, often detected incidentally during imaging studies, are uncommon and can be due to many etiologies including tumors, thrombus, vegetations, normal variants, and artifacts. We describe 2 patients with RA masses detected on routine transthoracic echocardiogram.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio 44195, USA. chenm@ccf.org
authors.forename: Michael S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jing-Ping
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Craig R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Asher
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016477:Artifacts; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004452:Echocardiography; D006338:Heart Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008067:Lipoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male