title: Cardiac Masses on Cardiac CT: A Review.
abstract: Cardiac masses are rare entities that can be broadly categorized as either neoplastic or non-neoplastic. Neoplastic masses include benign and malignant tumors. In the heart, metastatic tumors are more common than primary malignant tumors. Whether incidentally found or diagnosed as a result of patients' symptoms, cardiac masses can be identified and further characterized by a range of cardiovascular imaging options. While echocardiography remains the first-line imaging modality, cardiac computed tomography (cardiac CT) has become an increasingly utilized modality for the assessment of cardiac masses, especially when other imaging modalities are non-diagnostic or contraindicated. With high isotropic spatial and temporal resolution, fast acquisition times, and multiplanar image reconstruction capabilities, cardiac CT offers an alternative to cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging in many patients. Additionally, cardiac masses may be incidentally discovered during cardiac CT for other reasons, requiring imagers to understand the unique features of a diverse range of cardiac masses. Herein, we define the characteristic imaging features of commonly encountered and selected cardiac masses and define the role of cardiac CT among noninvasive imaging options.
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Service, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, 8901 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda, MD 20889 USA.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kassop
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Service, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, 8901 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda, MD 20889 USA.
authors.forename: Michael S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Donovan
authors.affiliation: Departments of Medicine and Radiology (Cardiovascular Division), Brigham and Women's Hospital, Non-Invasive Cardiovascular Imaging Program, Boston, MA 02115 USA.
authors.forename: Michael K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Cheezum
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, 8901 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda, MD 20889 USA.
authors.forename: Binh T
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, 8901 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda, MD 20889 USA.
authors.forename: Neil B
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Gambill
authors.affiliation: Departments of Medicine and Radiology (Cardiovascular Division), Brigham and Women's Hospital, Non-Invasive Cardiovascular Imaging Program, Boston, MA 02115 USA.
authors.forename: Ron
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Blankstein
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Service, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, 8901 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda, MD 20889 USA.
authors.forename: Todd C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Villines
keywords: Cardiac computed tomography; Cardiac mass; Coronary computed tomographic angiography; Lipoma; Metastasis; Myxoma; Neoplasm; Pericardial cyst; Sarcoma; Teratoma; Thrombus; Tumor