Caseous calcification of the mitral annulus. A review of six cases.
Caseous calcification of the mitral annulus is a rare form of mitral annular calcification, whose etiology is not completely understood and which can lead to an erroneous diagnosis of intracardiac tumor. The authors describe the cases of six patients, five of them female, mean age 74.8 +/- 6.4 years (65-81). Four patients presented with heart failure, two with atrial fibrillation and five with hypertension. Round, echogenic images, 18-26 mm in their largest diameter with a central echolucent area, were identified by transthoracic echocardiography on the lateral and posterior segments of the mitral annulus. Severe mitral regurgitation was also found in four patients. Only three patients with severe mitral regurgitation and heart failure were operated on, and one patient refused surgical treatment. A caseous mass, similar to toothpaste, was obtained from the mitral annulus zone during surgery.
Fernandes
Rita Marín
RM
Serviço de Cardiologia, Hospital de Santa Marta, Lisboa, Portugal. ritamarinf@gmail.com
Branco
Luísa Moura
LM
Galrinho
Ana
A
Timóteo
Ana Teresa
AT
Tavares
Anabela
A
Feliciano
Joana
J
Oliveira
Ricardo
R
Fiarresga
António
A
Mamede
Andreia
A
Banazol
Nuno
N
Roquette
Jose
J
Ferreira
Rui Cruz
RC
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008943:Mitral Valve; D014463:Ultrasonography