Abstract

Background: Cardiac mass is a space-occupying lesion within the cardiac cavity. Its differential diagnosis includes thrombus, vegetation or tumor. Diagnosis is on imaging. Primary cardiac tumors are benign, solitary masses attached by a stalk in the atria. Carcinomas are metastatic from direct invasion or hematogenous spread. Right-sided cardiac masses present with shortness of breath, fatigue, syncope, and night sweats. We discuss a patient with a right atrial (RA) mass as the presenting sign of renal malignancy. Case: A middle-aged female with no prior cardiac history presented to the hospital with complaints of shortness of breath. On presentation, the patient was hemodynamically stable. Echocardiogram showed a 4.9 x 2.9cm mobile RA mass heterogeneous in texture and attached to the interatrial septum with a narrow stalk. Further views showed that the RA mass continued into the inferior vena cava (IVC) and filled it entirely. A CT scan abdomen demonstrated a heterogeneous mass involving the left kidney extending from the left renal vein into the IVC and ultimately extending up to the RA. Given the high suspicion of renal cell carcinoma (RCC), a biopsy was offered however the patient declined further workup. Discussion: RCC can invade through the renal vein into the IVC and involve the right heart. Cavoatrial tumor thrombus extension is seen in 1% of RCC. In this case, the RA mass was the first step in the diagnosis of renal malignancy. It is imperative to assess for the extension of a RA mass into the IVC as it has diagnostic implications. Treatment is resection performed on cardiopulmonary bypass for intracardiac exploration and preventing embolization.

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