Calcified amorphous tumors (CATs) of the heart

Cardiovasc Pathol. 2014 Nov-Dec;23(6):369-71. doi: 10.1016/j.carpath.2014.07.003. Epub 2014 Jul 19.

Abstract

Intracavitary cardiac masses include neoplastic and nonneoplastic masses, which may share overlapping clinical symptomatology, physical examination findings, and or imaging characteristics. Definitive diagnosis of a cardiac mass is usually made on surgical excision and histological examination. In this article, we focus on one of the rare nonneoplastic cardiac mass, namely, calcified amorphous tumors. We present a series of three patients, an 80-year-old female who presented to the hospital for evaluation of a near syncope event, a 69-year-old female who presented for evaluation of palpitations, and a 60-year-old female who presented for evaluation of shortness of breath, who were found to have calcified amorphous tumors. We have also provided a relevant review of the literature on this topic.

Keywords: Calcified amorphous tumor; Heart; Nonneoplastic cardiac masses.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Calcinosis / pathology*
  • Calcinosis / surgery
  • Cardiomyopathies / pathology*
  • Cardiomyopathies / surgery
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Female
  • Heart Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Heart Neoplasms / surgery
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged