ECHOCARDIOGRAPHIC DETECTION OF PULMONARY VALVE PAPILLARY FIBROELASTOMA

Papillary fibroelastomas of the heart are rare lesions usually discove red at autopsy or incidentally at surgery. Although these lesions are benign and generally asymptomatic, they can cause valvular dysfunction or embolize to vital structures. In this case report, we describe a p ulmonary valve papillary fibroelastoma detected by echocardiography in an adult. Most of the 12 cases of pulmonary valve papillary fibroelas toma reported in the Literature were discovered incidentally at autops y or during surgery, To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of pulmonary valve papillary fibroelastoma detected by echocardiograp hy, Rest imaging before exercise echocardiography for evaluation of at ypical chest pain in a 42-year-old white female demonstrated a mass on the pulmonary valve, The mass was further characterized by transesoph ageal echocardiography and excised during open heart surgery, Pulmonar y valve papillary fibroelastoma was diagnosed histopathologically. Thi s case illustrates the additional diagnostic value of comprehensive 2D imaging in the rest phase before doing exercise echocardiography.