Cardiac Tumor Imaging and Management

Cardiac tumours, whether benign or malignant, present unique challenges for diagnosis and treatment. Benign lesions such as myxomas, papillary fibroelastomas and calcified amorphous tumours can cause obstruction, embolism or arrhythmia, while malignant neoplasms—primary sarcomas or secondary metastases—carry a poor prognosis. Noninvasive imaging lies at the heart of current practice, with transthoracic and transoesophageal echocardiography serving as first-line tools for real-time evaluation of mass size, mobility and haemodynamic impact. Multimodal cross-sectional techniques, notably cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, offer tissue characterisation through signal intensity mapping and contrast kinetics, distinguishing fibrotic, fatty or necrotic components. Computed tomography and positron emission tomography add precise morphological detail and metabolic assessment, guiding differentiation of benign calcified lesions from metabolically active malignancies. Management strategies hinge on accurate imaging diagnosis: surgical resection remains the mainstay for most benign tumours to prevent embolic complications and confirm pathology, whereas malignant tumours may require a combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Emerging percutaneous and image-guided ablation approaches hold promise for high-risk surgical candidates. The global significance of refined imaging protocols lies in their capacity to tailor patient-specific interventions, reduce perioperative risk and improve long-term outcomes.

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Cardiac Tumor Imaging and Management publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in cardiac tumor imaging and management across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Echocardiography: Ultrasound-based imaging method for real-time assessment of cardiac structure and function.

Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging: Cross-sectional technique offering tissue characterisation and functional analysis of cardiac lesions.

Computed tomography: High-resolution X-ray imaging modality providing detailed morphology of intracardiac masses.

Positron emission tomography: Functional imaging that maps metabolic activity to distinguish benign from malignant tissue.

Calcified amorphous tumour: Rare non-neoplastic intracardiac mass composed of calcium nodules within an amorphous fibrous matrix.

Mitral annular calcification: Degenerative calcium deposition in the fibrous ring of the mitral valve, often associated with tumour formation.

Histopathology: Microscopic examination of excised tissue to establish definitive diagnosis of cardiac masses.

References

1. Case report: A primary calcified cardiac mass in right atrium partially obstructs the tricuspid valve in a patient on hemodialysis. Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine (2022).
2. Multiple cerebral infarctions due to calcified amorphous tumor growing rapidly from an antecedent infection and decreasing rapidly by detachment of fibrin and antithrombotic drugs: a case report. BMC Neurology (2022).
3. Cardiac calcified amorphous tumor in a patient with lung cancer. General Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery Cases (2024).