title: Calcific left atrium: A rare consequence of endocarditis.
abstract: Usually, cardiac calcifications are observed in aortic and mitral valves, atrio-ventricular plane, mitral annulus, coronary arteries, pericaridium (usually causing constrictive pericarditis) and cardiac masses. Calcifications of atrial walls are unusual findings that can be identified only using imaging with high spatial resolution, such as cardiac magnetic resonance and computed tomography. We report a case of a 43-year-old patient with no history of heart disease that underwent cardiac evaluation for mild dyspnoea. The echocardiogram showed a calcific aortic valve and a hyper-echogenic lesion located in atrio-ventricular plane. The patient was submitted to cardiac magnetic resonance and to computed tomography imaging to better characterize the localization of mass. The clinical features and location of calcified lesion suggest an infective aetiology causing an endocarditis involving the aortic valve, atrio-ventricular plane and left atrium. Although we haven't data to support a definite and clear diagnosis, the clinical features and location of the calcified lesion suggest an infective aetiology causing an endocarditis involving the aortic valve, atrio-ventricular plane and left atrium. The patient was followed for 12 mo both clinically and by electrocardiogram and echocardiography without worsening of clinical, electrocardiographic and echocardiographic data. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography are ideal methods for identifying and following over time patients with calcific degeneration in the heart.
authors.affiliation: Giuseppe Dattilo, Matteo Casale, Vincenza Giugno, Lorenzo Camarda, Natascia Laganà, Gianluca Di Bella, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Cardiology, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dattilo
authors.affiliation: Giuseppe Dattilo, Matteo Casale, Vincenza Giugno, Lorenzo Camarda, Natascia Laganà, Gianluca Di Bella, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Cardiology, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Carmelo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Anfuso
authors.affiliation: Giuseppe Dattilo, Matteo Casale, Vincenza Giugno, Lorenzo Camarda, Natascia Laganà, Gianluca Di Bella, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Cardiology, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Casale
authors.affiliation: Giuseppe Dattilo, Matteo Casale, Vincenza Giugno, Lorenzo Camarda, Natascia Laganà, Gianluca Di Bella, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Cardiology, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Vincenza
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Giugno
authors.affiliation: Giuseppe Dattilo, Matteo Casale, Vincenza Giugno, Lorenzo Camarda, Natascia Laganà, Gianluca Di Bella, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Cardiology, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Camarda
authors.affiliation: Giuseppe Dattilo, Matteo Casale, Vincenza Giugno, Lorenzo Camarda, Natascia Laganà, Gianluca Di Bella, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Cardiology, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Natascia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Laganà
authors.affiliation: Giuseppe Dattilo, Matteo Casale, Vincenza Giugno, Lorenzo Camarda, Natascia Laganà, Gianluca Di Bella, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Cardiology, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Gianluca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Di Bella
keywords: Cardiac magnetic resonance; Computed tomography; Endocarditis complications; Left atrium calcification