Copyright
©2011 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Cardiol. Mar 26, 2011; 3(3): 98-100
Published online Mar 26, 2011. doi: 10.4330/wjc.v3.i3.98
Published online Mar 26, 2011. doi: 10.4330/wjc.v3.i3.98
Cardiac mass in a patient with colorectal cancer: “Not all that glitters is gold!”
Rui Providência, Ana Botelho, Paula Mota, António Leitão-Marques, Department of Cardiology, Coimbra’s Hospital Center, Coimbra, 3041-801, Portugal
Rui Catarino, Department of Radiology, Coimbra’s Hospital Center, Coimbra, 3041-801, Portugal
Author contributions: Providência R was assistant cardiologist and wrote the first version of the paper; Botelho A performed the echocardiogram evaluation; Mota P and Catarino R performed the cardiac MDCT and Leitão-Marques A performed the coronary angiogram; all co-authors critically revised the paper and provided important conceptual contributions to the discussion and clinical implications of this case report.
Correspondence to: Dr. Rui Providência, Department of Cardiology, Coimbra’s Hospital Center, Quinta dos Vales S. Martinho do Bispo, Coimbra, 3041-801, Portugal. rui_providencia@yahoo.com
Telephone: +351-239-810530 Fax: +351-239-445737
Received: July 14, 2010
Revised: August 12, 2010
Accepted: August 19, 2010
Published online: March 26, 2011
Revised: August 12, 2010
Accepted: August 19, 2010
Published online: March 26, 2011
Abstract
When performing echocardiography in a 74-year-old woman admitted with non ST elevation myocardial infarction and concomitant colorectal cancer (CC), a dense calcification of the mitral annulus was detected. Differential diagnosis between secondary metastasis and other etiologies of cardiac masses was essential for staging and therapeutic decision-making. Multimodality imaging with echocardiography alongside a computed tomography scan and cardiac magnetic resonance was crucial for the final diagnosis of caseous calcification of the mitral annulus (CCMA). CCMA is briefly reviewed and some possible explanations for the previously undescribed association of CC with CCMA are suggested.