Primary lipomatous tumors of the cardiac valves

A tricuspid valve mass was identified on echocardiogram in a 69-year-old man with ischemic heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pulmonary embolism, and pneumonia; he died with progressive respiratory insufficiency. The abnormal mass was ascribed initially to infective endocarditis, and the diagnosis at autopsy was fibrolipoma, a benign tumor. Although rare, valve tumors should be included in the differential diagnosis of abnormal valve masses identified on echocardiogram.