title: A 65 year-old woman with an echodense mitral annular mass.
abstract: Caseous calcification of the mitral annulus (CCMA) is a rare variant of mitral annular calcification which usually represents an incidental finding during cardiac imaging. Differential diagnosis from significant lesions such as myocardial abscesses or tumours may be problematic. Herein, we present the case of a 65 year-old woman with CCMA who was managed conservatively. Besides providing useful diagnostic clues, we briefly discuss management issues for this under-recognised clinical entity.
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Department, Ierapetra General Hospital, Crete, Greece.
authors.forename: Panagiotis
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Stasinos
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center, Athens, Greece. Electronic address: emmgpetrou@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Emmanouil
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Petrou
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Department, Ierapetra General Hospital, Crete, Greece.
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Papailiakis
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Department, Ierapetra General Hospital, Crete, Greece.
authors.forename: Antonios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tsikaloudakis
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Karatasakis
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000628:therapy*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014463:Ultrasonography
keywords: Caseous calcification; Echodense mass; Mitral annulus; Transoesophageal echocardiography; Transthoracic echocardiography