title: A large left ventricular thrombus.
abstract: The discovery of a left ventricular mass obliges the clinician to perform a differential diagnosis including tumour or lipoma versus thrombus and its assessment presents important clinical implications. Dilated cardiomyopathy has been associated with left ventricular thrombosis which leads to substantial morbidity and mortality as a site for peripheral emboli. There are some studies on patients with dilated cardiomyopathy showing altered hemostasis and platelet behavior despite sinus rhythm. An increased incidence of thromboembolism is also well recognized in patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction complicating history of myocardial infarction. Clinical dilemmas in treating left ventricular thrombus have been described too. We present a case of a large mobile left ventricular thrombus in a 71-year-old Italian man with dilated cardiomyopathy and history of myocardial infarction.
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Patanè
authors.forename: Filippo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Marte
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002311:Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003328:Coronary Thrombosis / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D004452:Echocardiography; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000150:complications