User Ratings

Easy to Follow Achieved Expected Results Overall Rating Add your comments

Cardiac Masses

Vivian S. Lee¹

¹New York University Medical Center, New York, New York

Publication Name:

Current Protocols in Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Unit Number:

Unit A11.2

DOI:

10.1002/0471142719.mia1102s00

Online Posting Date:

May, 2001

GO TO THE FULL TEXT:

PDF or HTML at Wiley Online Library

Are you the author of this protocol? Login or register and return to this page.

Abstract

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) may be indicated in patients who have poor acoustic windows or in whom lesions are incompletely characterized by echocardiography. This unit presents a basic technique for evaluating cardiac masses, with optional contrast-enhanced sequences for specific indications. The parameters are based on experience on a Siemens 1.5 T Vision or Symphony and should be altered accordingly for different field strengths and machines from different manufacturers.

GO TO THE FULL PROTOCOL:

PDF or HTML at Wiley Online Library

Unit Introduction
Basic Protocol: Imaging of Cardiac Masses
Commentary
Bibliography
Figures
Tables

GO TO THE FULL PROTOCOL:

PDF or HTML at Wiley Online Library

Materials

Basic Protocol: Imaging of Cardiac Masses

Materials

Normal saline (0.9% NaCl), sterile
Gadolinium-based MR contrast agent (e.g., Magnevist, Omniscan, or Prohance)

Looking for materials? Suppliers Guide

GO TO THE FULL PROTOCOL:

PDF or HTML at Wiley Online Library

Figures

Figure A11.2.1

Left atrial myxoma. (A) Transverse T₁-weighted turbo spin echo and (B) transverse cine gradient echo show a large mass in the left atrium (M).

View Image
Figure A11.2.2

Atrial lipoma. (A) Transverse HASTE image and (B) transverse short T_I inversion-recovery image through the right atrium demonstrate a large mass in the right atrial wall (curved arrows) and also involving the interatrial septum (shorter arrowhead in A). The lesion is high in signal intensity on the HASTE image. The loss of signal intensity in the mass on the inversion-recovery sequence parallels that of subcutaneous fat and supports the diagnosis of right atrial lipoma with involvement of the internal septum.

View Image
Figure A11.2.3

Right atrial pseudotumor. Transverse cine gradient-echo image shows a typical nodular appearance of the right atrial pseudotumor, seen along the posterior wall of the right atrium (arrowheads). This is a normal structure and should not be mistaken for tumor or thrombus.

View Image

Literature Cited

Literature Cited
	Barakos, J.A., Brown, J.J., and Higgins, C.B. 1989. MR imaging of secondary cardiac and paracardiac lesions. Am. J. Roentgenol. 153:47-50.
	Higgins, C.B. 1992. Essentials of Cardiac Radiology and Imaging. J.B. Lippincott, New York.
	Martin, E.T., Fuisz, A.R., and Pohost, G.M. 1998. Imaging cardiac structure and pump function. Cardiol. Clin. 16:135-160.
	Meier, R.A. and Hartnell, G.G. 1994. MRI of right atrial pseudomass: Is it really a diagnostic problem J. Comput. Assist. Tomogr. 18:398-401.
	Mirowitz, S.A. and Gutierrez, F.R. 1992. Fibromuscular elements of the right atrium: Pseudomass at MR imaging. Radiology 182:231-233.
Key References
	Dupuis, K., Thangaraj, V., and Edelman, R.R. 1996. Practical MRI for the technologist and imaging specialist. In Clinical Magnetic Resonance Imaging (R.R. Edelman, J.R. Hesselink, and M.B. Zlatkin, eds.) pp. 52-87. W.B. Saunders, Philadelphia.
Covers a wide range of practical information for setting patients up for MRI and also includes a useful description of cardiac imaging sequence parameters.
	See above.
Contains a detailed description of methods to evaluate cardiac masses, including plain film diagnoses and MRI.
	White, C.S. 1996. MR evaluation of the pericardium and cardiac malignancies. MRI Clin. North Am. 4:237-251.
Reviews MRI findings of cardiac masses.