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©2012 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
Asymptomatic melanoma of the superior cavo-atrial junction: The challenge of imaging
Tobias Krüger, Ulrich A Stock, Stephen M Wildhirt, Department of Thoracic-, Cardiac-, and Vascular Surgery, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
Martin Heuschmid, Department of Radiology, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
Ralf Kurth, Department of Pathology, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
Stephen M Wildhirt, Department of Cardiac-, Thoracic-, and Vascular Surgery, University of Ulm, Steinhoevelstr. 9, 89075 Ulm, Germany
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to this paper.
Correspondence to: Stephen M Wildhirt, MD, PhD, Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Cardiac-, Thoracic-, and Vascular Surgery, University of Ulm, Steinhoevelstr. 9, 89075 Ulm, Germany. wildhirt@gmx.net
Telephone: +49-731500-54411 Fax: +49-731500-54302
Received: November 1, 2011
Revised: December 7, 2011
Accepted: December 14, 2011
Published online: January 26, 2012
Revised: December 7, 2011
Accepted: December 14, 2011
Published online: January 26, 2012
Abstract
Metastatic lesions in the superior vena cava and the right atrium are difficult to diagnose: in computed tomography (CT), they are easily misinterpreted as artifacts, and the same region may be difficult to access using echocardiography. We present a case of asymptomatic metastasis of a malignant melanoma which was overlooked initially due to deficiencies in imaging. Using 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography-CT, the metastasis was clearly identified and finally treated successfully. We discuss the diagnostic value of the various imaging modalities for intracardiac masses.