CT for intracardiac thrombi and tumors.

Publication/Presentation Date

2-1-2005

Abstract

Although cardiac tumors are rare, they nevertheless represent an important subgroup, the diagnosis of which is challenging for the primary care physician. Symptoms are not characteristic and serious complications including stroke, myocardial infarction and even sudden death from arrhythmia may be the first signs of tumor. The most common primary cardiac neoplasm is the benign myxoma and the most frequent primary malignant lesion is sarcoma. Cardiac metastases from distant primary carcinomas are now frequently encountered. Echocardiography until the past decade was the only consistently reliable and available non-invasive diagnostic tool. New non-invasive CT and MRI exams are changing the diagnostic approach. Echocardiography and angiocardiography with or without coronary arteriography remain routine methods for evaluating cardiac neoplasms. However, CT provides additional diagnostic information and is regarded as essential for adequate staging and treatment planning, particularly when surgical resection is being considered. This chapter reviews the wide spectrum of intracardiac thrombi and tumors including their incidence and imaging characteristics with particular reference to the CT findings and differential diagnosis.

Volume

21

Issue

1

First Page

115

Last Page

131

ISSN

1569-5794

Disciplines

Diagnosis | Medicine and Health Sciences | Other Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques and Equipment | Radiology

PubMedID

15915945

Department(s)

Department of Radiology and Diagnostic Medical Imaging

Document Type

Article

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