Echocardiographic characteristics of intravenous leiomyomatosis with intracardiac extension: a single-institution experience

Echocardiographic Characteristics and Contrast-Enhanced Imaging of Intravenous Leiomyomatosis With Intracardiac Extension

OBJECTIVES

Intravenous leiomyomatosis (IVL) is a histologically benign but biologically aggressive tumor. This study aimed to summarize the echocardiography and contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEU) characteristics of IVL to provide a basis for clinical diagnosis and therapy.

METHODS

Fourteen IVL patients with uterus leiomyoma history (female, 46.4 ± 5.6 years) were enrolled in this study from March 2008 to December 2020 in our hospital. Preoperative imaging examination data were collected, including echocardiography computed tomography data; six patients also underwent CEU. All patients underwent successful resection, confirmed by histopathology.

RESULTS

Echocardiographic characteristics: The mean sizes of intracardiac parts of IVL tumors were 54.0 ± 17.9 mm (length) and 24.6 ± 9.8 mm (width). IVL tumors exhibited two echocardiography types: isoechoic solid mass (71.4%, 10/14) and anechoic cystic conduits (28.6%, 4/14), with enlargements of the right atrium (57.1%,8/14), right ventricle (1 patient, 7.1%), and inferior vena cava (57.1%, 8/14). About 21.4% of the patients (3/14) had right ventricular dysfunction. Right heart obstruction was observed in 42.8% (6/14) of the patients. CEU characteristics: the solid mass type exhibited an earlier perfusion and lower perfusion intensity than the conduits type. CEU was helpful in determining origins and pathways: from the internal iliac vein (pathway I, 71.4%), from the ovarian vein (pathway II, 14.3%), or both (14.3%). The echocardiographic appearances of the 14 cases were consistent with the features of the resection specimens.

CONCLUSION

Combined echocardiography and CEU can provide a more valuable information for the diagnosis of IVL and essential basis for treatment.

Intravenous leiomyomatosis: Case series and review of the literature

Background

We retrospectively reviewed the data of three patients with intravenous leiomyomatosis (IVL), one of whom had intracardiac leiomyomatosis, and analyzed their clinical symptoms, preoperative assessment findings, operative approaches, and recurrence.

Case presentation: The present study describes three cases of IVL extending into the inferior vena cava, even as far as the right atrium and ventricle, and discusses the imaging findings and differential diagnosis of this tumor entity. The three patients, two of whom were diagnosed during the first operation and one of whom had a giant pelvic mass, were surgically treated with complete tumor resection, hysterectomy, and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. The pathological examination findings were suggestive of IVL. The duration of time from the first myomectomy or hysterectomy to IVL occurrence ranged from 2 to 18 months. No signs of recurrence were observed during follow-up. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging played a vital role in the diagnostic process and presurgical assessment.

Conclusion

In clinical practice, IVL should be considered before surgery for a broad ligament myoma or giant pelvic mass. Surgery should always aim for complete tumor excision and include hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. Vascular reconstruction computed tomography is a good choice for diagnosis and follow-up.

Ultrasound appearance of intravenous leiomyomatosis: A case report

RATIONALE

Intravenous leiomyomatosis (IVL) is a rare benign smooth muscle tumor that can develop from the pelvic or uterine veins and spread into the central veins and heart. Here, we report a case of recurrent IVL in a 48-year-old woman. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report of IVL that describes the characteristic ultrasound features of the tumor, including the rainbow sign.

PATIENT CONCERNS

A 48-year-old woman developed a solid-cystic lesion in the inferior vena cava (IVC) 3 years after undergoing a right heart tumor resection and 5 years after undergoing hysterectomy.

DIAGNOSES

Physical examination was unremarkable. However, ultrasonography showed a solid-cystic lesion in the IVC, and a diagnosis of IVL was made.

INTERVENTIONS

The patient underwent complete surgical removal of the tumor by a multidisciplinary team. The tumor was resected successfully.

OUTCOMES

Pathological examination confirmed that the IVC tumor thrombus was consistent with IVL. During follow-up, there were no signs of local or distant recurrence.

LESSONS

The preoperative diagnosis of IVL is difficult, and the tumor is usually misdiagnosed as a thrombus or right atrial myxoma. A thorough understanding of the characteristic imaging features of IVL is essential for an accurate preoperative diagnosis. The lesion in our patient showed multiple tracts, a honeycomb appearance, and vividly colorful blood flow that resembled a rainbow, which we termed the rainbow sign.

Intravenous leiomyomatosis with different surgical approaches: Three case reports

BACKGROUND

Intravenous leiomyomatosis (IVL) is a rare and complicated disease, which requires surgery by a multidisciplinary team. However, the optimal surgical approach has not been determined.

CASE SUMMARY

Here we report three cases of IVL treated with different surgical approaches. All patients presented with circulation symptoms. Two patients had lower extremity edema and the other had cardiopalmus. The diagnosis of IVL was confirmed based on the imagining examinations and pathological findings. All patients underwent surgical treatment and were discharged without any complications.

CONCLUSION

Preoperative examination is crucial for surgical planning and surgical approach is dependent on the patient’s condition and tumor involvement.

Perioperative management of intracardiac leiomyomatosis: An observational cohort study

Intracardiac leiomyomatosis (ICLM) is a rare condition in which the benign tumor extends into the right heart chambers through inferior vena cava. The best surgical approach still remains unclear.We present a retrospective cohort of 36 patients diagnosed with ICLM in Peking Union Medical College Hospital between 2002 and 2016.The mean patient age was 44.5 (range 25-55) years. The clinical manifestations were various, including shortness of breath, chest tightness, edema of the lower extremities, palpitations, syncope, etc. Cardiac function of 30 patients (80%) remained mildly influenced, classified as New York Heart Association (NYHA) I-II. After careful preoperative evaluation, 19 patients underwent 1-stage operation while the other 17 patients underwent 2-stage operations. The original surgical plans were changed in 5 patients (14%) due to intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) monitoring, with the tumor directly extracted through abdominal approach or right atrium without cardiopulmonary bypass and/or deep hypothermic circulatory arrest. Complete resection was achieved in 32 patients (89%). Despite increased volume of blood loss (P < .05), patients undergoing 1-stage operation had significantly shorter operation time, anesthesia time as well as hospital length of stay (P < .05), compared with 2-stage operations. The postoperative complication rates were not different between the 2 groups (P = .684). During mean follow-up time of 36.1 months, recurrence occurred in 7 patients (23%) but all are survived.Precise and full-scale preoperative evaluation of both the tumor anatomy and the patient's tolerability to the surgery should be performed. TEE plays a crucial role in guidance of surgical decision making, and 1-stage extraction of tumor through either abdominal approach or right atrium may be possible.

Sonography and Transthoracic Echocardiography for Diagnosis of Systemic Cardiovascular Metastatic Tumor Thrombi

Sonography and transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) are seldom used for assessment of metastatic tumor thrombi in the cardiovascular system in routine clinical practice. We performed this retrospective study to evaluate the combination of sonography with TTE for diagnosis of metastatic tumor thrombi in heart and systemic vessels. Vascular, abdominal, pelvic, and small-part sonography was applied in 18 patients, and TTE was conducted simultaneously in 14 patients. Tumor thrombi invaded into the inferior vena cava system in 12 patients, superior vena cava system in 5 patients, and aorta in 1 patient; they extended to the right cardiac chambers in 11 patients. Six patients had diagnoses by pathologic examination. The primary neoplasms were identified by conventional imaging in 17 patients. The morphologic and echogenic characteristics of the tumor thrombi were diverse and depended on their original tumors. The thrombi were either contiguous or discrete from the original tumors. The neoplastic vascularity of the thrombi and the invasive extension were the primary characteristics that distinguished them from bland thrombi. Simultaneous application of sonography and TTE is a feasible way to comprehensively evaluate cardiovascular metastatic tumor thrombi in most patients.

Intracardiac leiomyomatosis: clinical findings and detailed echocardiographic features--a Chinese institutional experience

BACKGROUND

Intravenous leiomyomatosis is a rare, benign, smooth muscle tumor originating in the uterus that may extend through the inferior vena cava into the heart. Intracardiac leiomyomatosis (ICL), present in 10% of patients with intravenous leiomyomatosis, may cause right heart failure, tricuspid valve obstruction, and pulmonary embolism. The imaging characteristics of ICL continue to be reported. The purposes of this study were to characterize the echocardiographic features of ICL and to correlate the clinical findings.

METHODS

Between 1999 and 2012, 12 female patients with suspected ICL underwent cardiac surgery and histologic confirmation of the tumor. The clinical data, echocardiographic findings, and histologic results were retrospectively reviewed.

RESULTS

The ages of the patients with ICL ranged from 40 to 59 years. Ten patients (83%) had undergone myomectomy or hysterectomy, one patient had a uterine fibroid, and one patient had endometriosis. Seven patients (58%) reported dyspnea and/or palpitations, and one patient had syncope; four patients were asymptomatic. Echocardiographic findings included six patients with homogenous right atrial masses, four patients with myxoma-like right atrial masses, and two patients with serpentine, convoluted right atrial masses. In nine patients, the right atrial masses were noted to cross the tricuspid valve. All masses extended from the inferior vena cava. No masses appeared to adhere to the right atrium, right ventricular or pulmonary arterial walls, or tricuspid valve. Tricuspid regurgitation was noted in all patients. No pulmonary emboli were present.

CONCLUSIONS

The echocardiographic features of the ICL tumors varied. Tricuspid regurgitation and tumors emerging from the inferior vena cava were seen in all patients. Cardiac symptoms, including dyspnea, palpitations, and syncope, occurred in 67% of patients; the remaining 33% were asymptomatic.

Intravenous leiomyoma with extension to the heart: a case report and review of the literature

Introduction. Intravenous leiomyomatosis with cardiac extension is an extremely rare uterine tumor. We report here a case of intravenous leiomyoma extending to the right atrium, diagnosed in a patient having leiomyoma. Case Presentation. A 39-year-old woman with no symptoms and a past medical history of two myomectomy operations (7 and 3 years previously) was admitted to our clinic for routine control. We detected a uterine fibroid of 8 centimeters and 4 small solid masses of 1-2 centimeters near the uterus and ovaries at vaginal ultrasonography. Computed tomography (CT) was performed to investigate the abdominal cavity. It revealed a mass originating from the left common iliac vein, which invaded the inferior vena cava (IVC) and extended to the right atrium in addition to the uterine fibroids and pelvic masses. The operation was performed with a combined team of gynecologists and cardiac surgeons and a one-stage operation was accomplished. The postoperative course was uneventful. Conclusion. Abdominal CT is a useful imaging technique for the diagnosis of unusual pathology in a patient with uterine fibroid having suspicious pelvic masses. Also, when a right atrial mass is identified in a female with a prior history of hysterectomy because of leiomyoma or in whom there is a uterine myoma, then intravenous leiomyomatosis should be considered.

Intravenous leiomyomatosis with intracardiac extension - a review of diagnosis and management with an illustrative case

Intravenous leiomyomatosis with intracardiac extension is an uncommon pathologic progression of uterine leiomyomata. It is a histologically benign condition, however due to interfence with right sided cardiac function patients may present with marked cardiovascular compromise and present a diagnostic dilemma to clinicians who are unfamiliar with this condition. Given the rarity of this condition, experience in individual institutions is usually limited to a few cases. We present an illustrative case and provide a review of the clinical presentation, preoperative assessment, operative approach, pathology and postoperative issues. The importance of a multidisciplinary approach to diagnosis and management is highlighted. Operative management aims to completely resect all tumour in the safest manner for the patient, most commonly via single or two stage operation. Where complete resection is achieved, recurrence appears to be a rare event.

Infrarenal transcaval extraction of intracardiac leiomyomatosis

Intravascular leiomyomatosis is a rare, histologically benign disease, and can spread through the venous system to the right cavities of the heart. We report the case of a 39-year-old woman who presented with intravenous leiomyomatosis with extension to the right ventricle, causing heart failure. She underwent surgery successfully, undergoing a total resection of this tumor through the infrarenal cava and the hysterectomy in one surgical stage. Surgical technique considerations are discussed and the literature is reviewed.