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Updated: Mar 27, 2026

Cardiac Magnetic Resonance for the Evaluation of Suspected Cardiac Thrombus: Conventional and Emerging Techniques
Published on: June 11, 2019
An 82-year-old woman with a cardiac mass
Anna Galas1, Tomasz Hryniewiecki1, Piotr Szymanski1
1Department of Valvular Heart Disease, Institute of Cardiology, Warsaw, Poland.
Insights
An elderly woman with a history of pacemaker implantation presented with palpitations and weight loss. Diagnostic imaging, including echocardiogram and cardiac CT, was performed to evaluate a suspected cardiac tumor.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Diagnostic Imaging
Background:
- An 82-year-old female patient with a history of atrial fibrillation, VVI pacemaker implantation for advanced atrioventricular block, hypertension, and hypothyroidism was referred for cardiac tumor evaluation.
- The patient reported occasional palpitations and a 2kg weight loss over two years, with no significant respiratory or systemic symptoms.
- Routine blood tests, including complete blood count, C-reactive protein, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate, were within normal limits, and blood cultures were negative.
Clinical Introduction:
An 82-year-old woman suspected of a cardiac tumour was referred for evaluation. Patient's medical history included atrial fibrillation, implantation of a VVI (ventricular stimulation) pacemaker 3 years earlier due to advanced atrioventicular (AV) block, arterial hypertension and hypothyroidism. Patient was adequately anticoagulated with warfarin (international normalized ratio (INR) 3.0 at admission). She reported occasional palpitations and a 2 kg weight loss in the last 2 years, but denied shortness of breath, chest pain, malaise, fever, chills or cough. Blood samples were taken for tests and cultures. Red blood cells, haemoglobin, white blood cells, platelets, C- reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) were within normal ranges. Blood cultures were negative. Echocardiogram (figure 1A) (see online supplementary videos 1 and 2) and cardiac CT were performed (figure 1B).
Question:
Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?Caseous calcification of the mitral annulusCoconut left atriumMitral valve myxomaPeriannular abscess.
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