DIAGNOSIS OF INTRA-CARDIAC AND PARA-CARDI AC MASSES - THE ROLE OF MAGNETIC-RESONANCE-IMAGING

The purpose of the study was to assess the role of magnetic-resonance imaging in evaluation of patients with echocardiographically suspected intra- and para-cardiac masses and to determine efficacy of the use o f the technique in follow-up of these patients, Seventy three patients with echocardiographic diagnosis of an intra- or para-cardiac mass we re imaged with ECG-gated magnetic resonance at 1.5 T (76 studies) and 0,23 T (24 studies), The presence of a mass was confirmed in 60 patien ts, Histologically these masses were identified as myxoma, lopomatous hypertrophy of atrial septum, paracardiac lipoma, thymoma, metastatic cardiac involvement, other tumors and cardiac echinococcosis. In 13 pa tients echocardiographic diagnosis was not confirmed. in these cases m agnetic resonance imaging revealed an anatomic variant or other abnorm ality that had been interpreted as a probable mass on the echocardiogr am. The ability to provide high contrast between flowing blood and sof t tissue, an excellent view of cardiac anatomy and other unique capabi lities of magnetic-resonance imaging made the procedure an important t ool in the evaluation (especially preoperative) of patients with suspe cted cardiac masses.