Hepatocarcinoma Revealed by Echocardiography: Discovery of a Neoplastic Thrombus in the Inferior Vena Cava and its Extension into the Right Atrium - Abstract
Introduction: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a primary tumor of the liver that develops in the setting of chronic liver disease with extrahepatic
metastases present at the time of diagnosis in approximately 10 to 15% of cases. Cardiac involvement of HCC is rare and mostly explained by vascular
invasion and direct extension in the right atrium (RA) via the inferior vena cava (IVC)
Case Presentation: A 64-year-old man with history of chronic liver disease was found to present a mass in the RA originating from the IVC and the hepatic
veins during echocardiography. The assessment of the cardiac mass led to the diagnosis of a HCC
Discussion: Diagnosis of HCC by revelation of a cardiac metastasis during echocardiography is rare. In a specific clinical context, echocardiography may
guide the clinician towards the diagnosis of cardiac metastasis, especially if vascular invasion of the hepatic veins and/or of the IVC is observed