Metastatic tumor deposition or extension of primary tumor into heart
Metastases to heart occur via
Lymphatic spread: Most common route; lung and breast cancer
Hematogenous spread: Typically melanoma
Direct extension: Usually lung cancer and thoracic malignancies; rarely mesothelioma
Transvenous spread: several sources
Inferior vena cava (IVC): Hepatic, renal, adrenal or pelvic tumors
Superior vena cava (SVC): Lung cancer; mediastinal tumors
Pulmonary veins: Lung cancer or metastases
IMAGING
General Features
Radiographic Findings
CT Findings
MR Findings
Echocardiographic Findings
Nuclear Medicine Findings
Imaging Recommendations
DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS
PATHOLOGY
General Features
Gross Pathologic & Surgical Features
Microscopic Features
CLINICAL ISSUES
Presentation
Demographics
Natural History & Prognosis
Treatment
DIAGNOSTIC CHECKLIST
Image Interpretation Pearls
Selected References
Young PM et al: Computed tomography imaging of cardiac masses. Radiol Clin North Am. 57(1):75-84, 2019
Lichtenberger JP 3rd et al: MR imaging of cardiac masses. Top Magn Reson Imaging. 27(2):103-111, 2018
Prakash P et al: Imaging findings of pericardial metastasis on chest computed tomography. J Comput Assist Tomogr. 34(4):554-8, 2010
Kalra MK et al: Imaging cardiac tumors. Cancer Treat Res. 143:177-96, 2008
Okwuosa TM et al: "Mass-ive" infarction: case report and review of myocardial metastatic malignancies. J Nucl Cardiol. 15(5):719-26, 2008
Dodd JD et al: Cardiac septal aneurysm mimicking pseudomass: appearance on ECG-gated cardiac MRI and MDCT. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 188(6):W550-3, 2007
Garcia JR et al: Usefulness of 18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography in the evaluation of tumor cardiac thrombus from renal cell carcinoma. Clin Transl Oncol. 8(2):124-8, 2006
Feys A et al: Cardiac metastasis from a stage IIIb cervix carcinoma. Acta Cardiol. 60(1):73-5, 2005
Kim JH et al: Non-small cell lung cancer initially presenting with intracardiac metastasis. Korean J Intern Med. 20(1):86-9, 2005
Tesolin M et al: Cardiac metastases from melanoma. Radiographics. 25(1):249-53, 2005
Wang ZJ et al: CT and MR imaging of pericardial disease. Radiographics. 23 Spec No:S167-80, 2003
Meng Q et al: Echocardiographic and pathological characteristics of cardiac metastasis in patients with lymphoma. Oncol Rep. 9(1):85-8, 2002
Chiles C et al: Metastatic involvement of the heart and pericardium: CT and MR imaging. Radiographics. 21(2):439-49, 2001
Chahinian AP et al: Tumors of the heart and great vessels. In Bast RC et al: Holland-Frei Cancer Medicine. 5th ed. New York: B.C. Decker, 2000
Shimotsu Y et al: Fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose PET identification of cardiac metastasis arising from uterine cervical carcinoma. J Nucl Med. 39(12):2084-7, 1998
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TERMINOLOGY
Definitions
Metastatic tumor deposition or extension of primary tumor into heart
Metastases to heart occur via
Lymphatic spread: Most common route; lung and breast cancer
Hematogenous spread: Typically melanoma
Direct extension: Usually lung cancer and thoracic malignancies; rarely mesothelioma
Transvenous spread: several sources
Inferior vena cava (IVC): Hepatic, renal, adrenal or pelvic tumors
Superior vena cava (SVC): Lung cancer; mediastinal tumors
Pulmonary veins: Lung cancer or metastases
IMAGING
General Features
Radiographic Findings
CT Findings
MR Findings
Echocardiographic Findings
Nuclear Medicine Findings
Imaging Recommendations
DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS
PATHOLOGY
General Features
Gross Pathologic & Surgical Features
Microscopic Features
CLINICAL ISSUES
Presentation
Demographics
Natural History & Prognosis
Treatment
DIAGNOSTIC CHECKLIST
Image Interpretation Pearls
Selected References
Young PM et al: Computed tomography imaging of cardiac masses. Radiol Clin North Am. 57(1):75-84, 2019
Lichtenberger JP 3rd et al: MR imaging of cardiac masses. Top Magn Reson Imaging. 27(2):103-111, 2018
Prakash P et al: Imaging findings of pericardial metastasis on chest computed tomography. J Comput Assist Tomogr. 34(4):554-8, 2010
Kalra MK et al: Imaging cardiac tumors. Cancer Treat Res. 143:177-96, 2008
Okwuosa TM et al: "Mass-ive" infarction: case report and review of myocardial metastatic malignancies. J Nucl Cardiol. 15(5):719-26, 2008
Dodd JD et al: Cardiac septal aneurysm mimicking pseudomass: appearance on ECG-gated cardiac MRI and MDCT. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 188(6):W550-3, 2007
Garcia JR et al: Usefulness of 18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography in the evaluation of tumor cardiac thrombus from renal cell carcinoma. Clin Transl Oncol. 8(2):124-8, 2006
Feys A et al: Cardiac metastasis from a stage IIIb cervix carcinoma. Acta Cardiol. 60(1):73-5, 2005
Kim JH et al: Non-small cell lung cancer initially presenting with intracardiac metastasis. Korean J Intern Med. 20(1):86-9, 2005
Tesolin M et al: Cardiac metastases from melanoma. Radiographics. 25(1):249-53, 2005
Wang ZJ et al: CT and MR imaging of pericardial disease. Radiographics. 23 Spec No:S167-80, 2003
Meng Q et al: Echocardiographic and pathological characteristics of cardiac metastasis in patients with lymphoma. Oncol Rep. 9(1):85-8, 2002
Chiles C et al: Metastatic involvement of the heart and pericardium: CT and MR imaging. Radiographics. 21(2):439-49, 2001
Chahinian AP et al: Tumors of the heart and great vessels. In Bast RC et al: Holland-Frei Cancer Medicine. 5th ed. New York: B.C. Decker, 2000
Shimotsu Y et al: Fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose PET identification of cardiac metastasis arising from uterine cervical carcinoma. J Nucl Med. 39(12):2084-7, 1998
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