Multimodal imaging of cardiac-calcified amorphous tumor

Case report: A primary calcified cardiac mass in right atrium partially obstructs the tricuspid valve in a patient on hemodialysis

Primary cardiac calcification is a rare benign mass in patients with end-stage renal disease. A few cases have been reported in the literatures. In this case study, during a routine checkup for hemodialysis, a transthoracic echocardiography on a 19-year-old male showed a cardiac mass in the right atrium that was partially obstructing the tricuspid valve. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging showed a well-circumscribed, homogeneous “shadow” in the right atrium; it measured 29 × 27 mm, had equal T1- and T2-weighted signal intensities, and was adjacent to the tricuspid valve. According to 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography combined with computed tomography, there was a dense circular shadow in the right atrium abutting the tricuspid valve, but there was no increase in glucose metabolism. Median sternotomy was performed for the surgical resection of the mass, and a cardiopulmonary bypass was completed. The mass was completely removed. The patient recovered well and was discharged 10 days after the surgery. Histological examination showed that the mass contained multiple calcified nodules. No mass recurrence was found by echocardiography during the 12th-month follow-up.

Multimodality imaging of a left atrial calcified amorphous tumor

A cardiac calcified amorphous tumor (CAT) is an extremely rare non-neoplastic cardiac mass composed of calcium nodules in an amorphous background of fibrin materials. Herein, we report a case of CAT in the left atrium of an asymptomatic 72-year-old man who underwent multimodality imaging and successful resection of the CAT. Results of the present case suggest that multimodality imaging plays an important role in detecting cardiac CAT, determining the treatment plan and serial follow-ups for the patients after the treatment.