Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 1, 2025
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Cardiac Magnetic Resonance for the Evaluation of Suspected Cardiac Thrombus: Conventional and Emerging Techniques
Published on: June 11, 2019
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Hiatal hernia presenting as a left atrial mass
Jagadeesh Kumar Kalavakunta1, Jose Ricardo F Po1
1Department of Cardiology, Ascension Borgess Medical Center, Western Michigan University Homer Stryker School of Medicine Michigan State University Kalamazoo Michigan USA.
Clinical Case Reports
|August 12, 2022
Summary
A challenging cardiac mass was diagnosed in a 62-year-old woman. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging revealed the left atrial mass was actually a hiatal hernia, not a tumor.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Diagnostic Imaging
- Gastroenterology
Background:
- Cardiac masses can present diagnostic challenges, mimicking various conditions.
- Accurate differentiation is crucial for appropriate patient management and treatment strategies.
Observation:
- A 62-year-old woman presented with chest pain and palpitations.
- Initial transthoracic echocardiography identified a suspicious left atrial mass.
Findings:
- Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) provided definitive characterization of the lesion.
- The left atrial mass was accurately diagnosed as a hiatal hernia, not an intrinsic cardiac tumor.
Implications:
- This case highlights the importance of advanced imaging modalities like CMR in resolving complex cardiac diagnoses.
- CMR can differentiate between true cardiac masses and extrardiac structures like hiatal hernias, preventing unnecessary interventions.
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