Two-dimensional echocardiographic abnormalities of right atrial metastatic tumors in hepatoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma with invasion into right cardiac cavities: report of a case and literature review

Hepatocellular carcinoma is a tumor that rarely invades the inferior vena cava and right heart. We describe the case of a 63-year-old man with jaundice and a history of cryptogenic hepatic cirrhosis with diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma. He was referred to the echocardiography laboratory for sudden dyspnea and suggestion of pulmonary thromboembolism. Echocardiographic study reported a mass in the right atrium proceeding from the inferior vena cava.

Left atrial invasion by lung carcinoma through a pulmonary vein

We describe a rare case of small-cell lung carcinoma invading the left atrium through a pulmonary vein. Echocardiography was particularly useful in this case in assessing the intracavitary extension of the tumor and the outcome of therapy. Echocardiography is a low-cost, easy imaging tool, complementary to radiological techniques and useful in evaluating thoracic tumors involving the cardiovascular structures.

Echocardiography of a right atrial mass in hepatocellular carcinoma

Antemortem diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma with a tumor thrombus extending into the right atrium has been rarely observed. Although echocardiography allows easy detection of the intracardiac mass, reports of echocardiographic descriptions of a right atrial mass associated with hepatocellular carcinoma are few. Herein, we describe two cases of hepatocellular carcinoma with a tumor thrombus in the right atrium detected by transthoracic echocardiography. In one of the patients we also performed transesophageal echocardiography. Neither patient had cardiac symptoms or signs. Thus, echocardiographic examination is very important in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, with or without cardiac symptoms and signs.

Severe refractory congestive cardiac failure in an elderly man

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Transesophageal echocardiography in the detection of inferior vena cava and cardiac metastasis in hepatocellular carcinoma

Antemortem diagnosis of inferior vena cava (IVC) and cardiac metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is difficult but important before consideration of curative resection. There are only a few cases of cardiac metastasis of HCC which have been diagnosed antemortem by echocardiography. Accordingly, 18 consecutive patients with HCC who were potential candidates for curative resection were studied by transthoracic (TTE) and transesophageal echocardiography (TEE). One (6%) and two (11%) patients had cardiac and IVC metastasis of HCC, respectively, which was detected by two-dimensional TTE. In contrast, by using TEE, four patients (22%) showed tumor invasion of the IVC, of whom two (11%) had tumor mass extending into the right atrium (RA). There was no significant difference in age, serum level of alpha-fetoprotein, and percentage of right liver lobar involvement between those with and without cardiac metastasis. Patients without cardiac metastasis detected on TTE or TEE had significantly longer mean duration of survival (5.0 +/- 2.1 vs. 2.1 +/- 1.0 months; p < 0.05). In summary, TEE may be more useful than TTE in the detection of cardiac metastasis of HCC, which occurred in 22% of patients whose primary tumor was considered to be surgically resectable in our series. This can be safely performed in patients with HCC and can provide optimal visualization of the IVC and RA. The high prevalence of subclinical cardiac metastasis in HCC mandates the use of TEE in all patients with HCC prior to surgical intervention.

Transesophageal versus transthoracic echocardiography in the evaluation of right atrial tumors

The purpose of this study was to define the contribution of transesophageal echocardiography to the diagnosis of right atrial tumors in a large series of patients with this rare finding. Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) has been found to be valuable in evaluating patients with intracardiac masses and has been shown to be superior to transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) in evaluating left heart masses. Between 1989 and 1993, 23 patients with either known tumors elsewhere or right atrial masses that were detected on TTE were evaluated with TEE. TEE studies were performed in the noninvasive cardiology laboratory. All patients were studied with 5 MHz biplane or omniplane transducers. The right atrium was evaluated for the presence, characteristics, extent, and attachment of any masses and for extension of these masses into the great vessels or other cardiac chambers. No complications occurred. Six patients had primary right atrial tumors. In 10 patients the tumors reached the right atrium via the inferior vena cava. Seven patients had malignant secondary tumors. TEE demonstrated three tumors not detected by TTE. Furthermore TEE provided 16 additional findings not seen on TTE. In conclusion, TEE is superior to TTE in the evaluation of right atrial tumors. TEE should be considered in patients with right atrial tumors even when these tumors have been demonstrated with TTE.

Right atrial metastasis as primary clinical manifestation of hepatocellular carcinoma

We present an 81-year-old man with right atrial metastasis associated with hepatocellular carcinoma. Antemortem diagnosis was made by two-dimensional echocardiography, cardiac catheterisation and computed tomography, followed by surgical intervention and histological examination of the right atrial tumour. To our knowledge, this is the second case with intravital diagnosis and histological confirmation.

Transesophageal echocardiography of right atrial metastasis of a hepatocellular carcinoma

Antemortem diagnosis of cardiac metastases of a hepatocellular carcinoma is rarely observed. In a 52-year-old female patient with a history of posthepatitic cirrhosis and partial hepatectomy, transthoracic echocardiography brought to light a mass in the right atrium. After location and characterization of the tumor by transesophageal echocardiography, a transvenous biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of metastasis of a hepatocellular carcinoma.

Effectiveness of chemoembolization therapy for metastatic right atrial tumor thrombus associated with hepatocellular carcinoma

A rare case of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was complicated by metastatic right atrial tumor thrombus (RATT), which diminished in size on echocardiograms and showed necrotic change on computed tomography (CT) scans after chemoembolization therapy.

Echocardiographic detection of an infected superior vena caval thrombus presenting as a right atrial mass

A patient was found to have a large mobile right atrial mass by two-dimensional echocardiography after developing sepsis due to prolonged central hyperalimentation. Contrast echocardiography was helpful in localizing the origin of the mass. A large infected thrombus emanating from the superior vena cava was removed at operation. The discussion includes a review of the literature on the echocardiography of right atrial masses.

Hepatoma with right atrial extension

The case is described of a 14-year-old boy who had a hepatoma with a right atrial extension. He presented with edema, abdominal pain, and ascites. Two-dimensional echocardiography showed a right atrial tumor that had invaded from the inferior vena cava as an extension into the right atrium of the hepatoma.