Key result
TEE and MRI reveal a large right atrial metastasis missed by TTE.
Why the study?
Does transesophageal echocardiography improve the detection of right atrial metastasis compared to transthoracic echocardiography in a patient with liposarcoma?
Case Report (n=1)
Does transesophageal echocardiography improve the detection of right atrial metastasis compared to transthoracic echocardiography in a patient with liposarcoma?
Transesophageal echocardiography and MRI are superior to transthoracic echocardiography for visualizing masses in the superior portion of the right atrium.
May enhance detection of superior right atrial masses missed by TTE; single case leaves open need for validation before practice change.
The most superior portion of the right atrium is not well visualized by transthoracic echocardiography. This limits the ability of the technique to detect intracardiac disease in this area. We describe a 41-year-old man with a history of liposarcoma in whom transthoracic echocardiography was unable to elucidate a right atrial metastasis. Transesophageal echocardiography demonstrated the morphology and extent of the large right atrial mass. These findings were well correlated with both magnetic resonance imaging and surgery.
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Schrem et al. (1990) conducted a case report in Metastatic Cardiac Liposarcoma (n=1). Transesophageal echocardiography and magnetic resonance imaging vs. Transthoracic echocardiography was evaluated on Detection and morphological assessment of right atrial mass. Transesophageal echocardiography and magnetic resonance imaging successfully demonstrated the morphology and extent of a large right atrial metastasis not visualized by transthoracic echocardiography.
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