Ectopic hepatic tissue presenting as right atrial mass
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Updated: May 25, 2026

Cardiac Magnetic Resonance for the Evaluation of Suspected Cardiac Thrombus: Conventional and Emerging Techniques
Published on: June 11, 2019
Lauren Xu1, Jean Jeudy, Allen P Burke
1Department of Pathology, University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.
Abstract:
A 52-year-old woman had a well-circumscribed, mobile mass (1.8 × 1.7 cm) in the right atrium detected by echocardiography and confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging. Subsequent histologic evaluation of the mass revealed benign, ectopic hepatic tissue. Ectopic liver is a rare occurrence, and most frequent anatomical distribution of ectopic hepatic tissue is the region around the gallbladder. In exceptional cases, ectopic liver can be found within the thorax. The reported case demonstrates that ectopic liver should be included in the differential diagnosis of right atrial masses removed surgically.
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