Pericardial mass in a 71-year-old man

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Radiology
• Oncology

Background:

• A 71-year-old male with a history of aortic regurgitation and prior bladder cancer resection underwent aortic valve surgery.
• Post-operatively, he developed dyspnea, leading to the detection of a cardiac mass.

Observation:

• Transthoracic echocardiography revealed a mass near the right heart, but image quality was limited by prior sternotomy and calcified pachypleurite.
• Coronary CT (CCT), 2-[18F] fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron-emission tomography (FDG-PET), and cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) were employed for detailed evaluation.

Findings:

• The study utilized a multimodal imaging approach including CCT, FDG-PET, and CMR to characterize the pericardial mass.
• Detailed imaging was necessary due to initial suboptimal echocardiographic views.

Implications:

• This case highlights the importance of advanced imaging techniques in diagnosing challenging pericardial masses.
• Accurate diagnosis of pericardial masses is critical for appropriate patient management and treatment planning.