[Cardiac pseudotumor revealing Behçet's disease]

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Rheumatology
• Pathology

Background:

• Behçet's disease (BD) is a rare systemic vasculitis.
• Intracardiac thrombosis is an uncommon but serious complication of BD, potentially presenting as a cardiac tumor.
• Diagnosis of BD may be delayed, with intracardiac masses sometimes detected before other systemic manifestations.

Observation:

• A 29-year-old patient with a history of aphthosis presented with a right atrial and ventricular mass.
• Surgical intervention revealed intracardiac thrombus.
• Behçet's disease was diagnosed postoperatively.

Findings:

• Intracardiac thrombus can be the initial presentation of Behçet's disease.
• High mortality associated with intracardiac thrombosis in BD may stem from surgical complications or pulmonary artery involvement.
• Postoperative medical management with corticosteroids, colchicine, and anticoagulation (vitamin K antagonists) led to a favorable outcome.

Implications:

• The presence of an intracardiac mass in a young individual should raise suspicion for cardiac thrombus and Behçet's disease.
• Consideration of BD is important even without typical risk factors.
• Timely diagnosis and appropriate management are vital for mitigating the high mortality associated with this condition.