J Korean Soc Echocardiogr.
2004 Dec;12(2):83-86.
4 Cases of Intracardiac Metastasis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma
- Affiliations
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- 1Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea. younhj@catholic.ac.kr
Abstract
- Antemortem diagnosis of inferior vena cava (IVC) and cardiac metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is difficult but important to decide on treatment strategy. There are only a few cases of cardiac metastasis of HCC which have been diagnosed antemortem by echocardiography. We experienced 3 cases of IVC and Right atrial metastasis and 1 case of Left atrial metastasis of HCC. The tumor was discovered during computed tomography scanning. The patients had exhibited no signs of cardiac involvement. In this case, transesophageal echocardiography was valuable in providing information regarding the exact location of the tumor and its relation to surrounding anatomical structures. Left atrial metastasis of HCC is unusual patterns and probably related to tumor growth from the pulmonary veins following massive metastasis to the lung.