Atrial Papillary Fibroelastoma: A Stranger in a Strange Place

Papillary fibroelastoma (PFE) is the most common primary tumor of cardiac valves and predominantly located on the left side. Its origin from non-valvular endocardium is extremely rare. We describe a case of an 81-year-old Caucasian male who presented with a mobile right atrial mass at the junction of right atrial wall and superior vena cava (SVC). Initially it was thought to be a thrombus and the patient was treated with anti-coagulation therapy without any change in size of the mass. Surgical excision was performed to establish the diagnosis and histopathology confirmed the diagnosis of PFE. In conclusion, this case is unique due to location of the tumor and its attachment with superior vena cava. Physicians should consider this unusual location of PFE in the differential diagnoses of an intra-atrial mass.