title: Contrast echocardiography of right atrial mass due to hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: We describe one patient suffering from hepatocellular carcinoma who presented with a right atrial metastatic tumour as a result of invasion of the inferior vena cava and extension into the right atrium. Two-dimensional echocardiography disclosed the right atrium tumour and SonoVue contrast agent echocardiography was employed to assess the local extension of the mass and to exclude an important obstruction due to a mass in the right ventricular inflow. Surgical management in the presence of metastatic right atrial tumour thrombus is described in the literature with poor results and this type of treatment should be reserved only for selected cases in which acute and severe cardiovascular distress due to obstruction of right ventricular inflow is present.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Liver Unit, San Camillo Forlanini Hospital, Italy. adriano.pellicelli@tiscali.it
authors.forename: Adriano M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Pellicelli
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Barbaro
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Soccorsi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D019560:Echocardiography, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006338:Heart Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000556:secondary; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male