Echocardiography of a right atrial mass in hepatocellular carcinoma

Antemortem diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma with a tumor thrombus exte nding into the right atrium has been rarely observed. Although echocardiogr aphy allows easy detection of the intracardiac mass, reports of echocardiog raphic descriptions of a right atrial mass associated with hepatocellular c arcinoma are few. Herein, we describe two cases of hepatocellular carcinoma with a tumor thrombus in the right atrium detected by transthoracic echoca rdiography. In one of the patients we also performed transesophageal echoca rdiography. Neither patient had cardiac symptoms or signs. Thus, echocardio graphic examination is very important in patients with hepatocellular carci noma, with or without cardiac symptoms and signs.