When stroke uncovers a hidden cardiac mass: LVOT papillary fibroelastoma in an elderly Thai male

Papillary fibroelastoma (PFE) is a rare, benign cardiac tumor usually arising from the heart valves, whereas non-valvular involvement is uncommon. We report herein a case of a 71-year-old Asian male who developed an ischemic stroke during hospitalization for gastrointestinal bleeding. A stroke workup led to the incidental detection of a cardiac mass in the left ventricular outflow tract, later confirmed as PFE following surgical excision without complications. This case highlights the importance of cardiac imaging in patients with cryptogenic stroke and supports early surgical excision to prevent recurrent embolic events.