A case of posterior loculated tamponade masquerading as an atrial mass on transesophageal echocardiography

Extracardiac Intrapericardial Mass Impersonating as Left Atrial Mass: Echocardiographic Perspectives

Extracardiac intrapericardial masses arising posterior to left atrium (LA) often mimic an intracardiac LA mass on echocardiography. Although transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) is the primary screening tool to detect any cardiac mass, transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is proven superior to TTE in delineating the size, morphology, and exact site of origin of LA masses. We report a case, where the preoperative TTE diagnosed an LA mass which was later confirmed to be an extracardiac intrapericardial mass by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and intraoperative TEE. The mass was compressing the LA, and the timely diagnosis avoided the opening of the LA for mass excision.

Loculated cardiac hematoma causing hemodynamic compromise after cardiac surgery

The authors describe a case of a rare complication occurring after cardiac surgery. Three weeks after aortic valve replacement a young male became hemodynamically unstable. The echocardiogram showed a large loculated hematoma compressing the right atrium. The patient was reoperated and the mass was removed. Recovery was complete.

Echocardiographic manifestation of esophagitis mimicking a posterior mediastinal mass

Incidental extracardiac findings (ECFs) are commonly noted on cardiac imaging. The majority of the ECFs are noticed on computed tomography (CT), cardiac magnetic resonance scanning, and myocardial perfusion imaging. Although transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) is a widely used cardiac modality, there is scarcity of data describing ECF on TTE. ECFs have the potential to alter patient management. We present a rare case of a cystic mass seen in the posterior mediastinum on TTE, which led to further evaluation and diagnosis of esophagitis with ulceration.