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Table 1 CMR imaging characteristics of various types of cardiac masses

From: Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance 2019 Case of the Week series

Tumor

Common location

T1 weighted

T2 weighted

T1 post contrast enhancement

Late gadolinium enhancement

Fat suppression

Pseudotumors

 Thrombus

Atrial appendage in valve disease and/or atrial fibrillation; Ventricles related with aneurysm or myocardial infarction

Hypointense (hyperintense if acute or subacute)

Hypointense (hyperintense if acute)

No

Hypointense with long TI time

No change

 Pleuro-pericardial cyst

Right cardiophrenic angle is the most common; can be anywhere in mediastinum

Hypointense; can be hyperintense if hemorrhagic

Hyperintense

No

Hypointense

No change

 Vegetation

Cardiac valves and aortic grafts

Frequently not visible

May be visualized if large

Can enhance

Can enhance (if wide based and large

No change

Benign Cardiac Tumors

 Myxoma

Left atrium Fossa ovalis

Variable

Variable

Yes

Heterogeneous

No change

 Lipoma

Any chamber, intramyocardial or intracavitary

Hyperintense

Hyperintense

No

Hypointense

Hypointense (signal dropout)

 Papillary fibroelastoma

cardiac valves

Isointense

Hyperintense

Yes

Hyperintense

No change

 Rhabdomyoma

Any chamber, intramyocardial or intracavitary

Isointense

Hyperintense

Yes

Isointense

No change

 Fibroma

Intramyocardial (ventricular septum or free wall)

Isointense

Hypointense

Hypointense core; Isointense periphery

Hyperintense

No change

 Hemangioma

Ventricles intramyocardial / intracavitary

Intermediate

Hyperintense

Yes

Variable

No change

Malignant Cardiac Tumors

 Angiosarcoma

Right atrium, pericardial and myocardial invasion

Heterogeneous

Heterogeneous

Heterogeneous

Heterogeneous

No change

 Rhabdomyosarcoma

Any chamber; pericardial or pleural involvement

Intermediate

Hyperintense

Variable

Heterogeneous

No change

 Lymphoma

Pericardial effusion; Intracardiac masses (mostly involves the right heart)

Isointense

Isointense to Hyperintense

Variable

Variable

No change

 Metastases

Multiple lesions, mostly involves the right heart, pericardial effusion

Hypointense

Hyperintense

Variable

Heterogeneous

No change