Behçet's disease: a case report about a rare cause of intra-cardiac mass

Intra-cardiac masses are always a challenging diagnosis, especially when it involves the right side of the heart. There are multiples aetiologies that can be responsible for these masses, namely thrombosis, neoplasm, or vegetations. Occasionally, these may be related to an autoimmune process not yet diagnosed. We present a case of a 17-year-old patient with an exuberant right ventricular mass due to a not yet diagnosed Behçet's disease. The best approach and treatment for these patients remains uncertain.

The authors present a case of a 17-year-old patient with a right ventricular mass who presented as an initial manifestation of Behçet's disease. It was firstly assumed as a thrombotic mass and medicated with anticoagulation, with no resolution. After performing a cardiac magnetic resonance, the case was discussed in a multidisciplinary team, including cardiology, paediatrics, and rheumatology, and the diagnosis of Behçet's disease with cardiac complication was established. The patient started immunosuppressive therapy with clinical and echocardiographic response.

Behçet's disease is a multi-systemic autoimmune vasculitis that usually manifests by recurrent oral and genital ulcers as well as ocular symptoms. Cardiac manifestations are rare but important aspects of the course of the disease, especially in what concerns morbidity burden. The treatment of these cardiovascular complications is generally empirical and involves the treatment of the underlying disease.