Metastatic cardiac liposarcoma: diagnosis by transesophageal echocardiography and magnetic resonance imaging

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• The superior right atrium is difficult to visualize with transthoracic echocardiography.
• This limitation hinders the detection of intracardiac disease in this region.

Observation:

• A 41-year-old man with liposarcoma presented with a suspected right atrial metastasis.
• Transthoracic echocardiography failed to identify the mass.
• Transesophageal echocardiography clearly showed a large right atrial mass.

Findings:

• Transesophageal echocardiography provided detailed morphology and extent of the right atrial mass.
• Findings correlated well with magnetic resonance imaging and surgical results.

Implications:

• Transesophageal echocardiography is superior to transthoracic echocardiography for visualizing the superior right atrium.
• This technique is vital for accurate diagnosis of intracardiac masses and disease.