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Caseous Calcification of the Mitral Annulus: Unusual Case of Spontaneous Resolution
Author(s) -
Gramenzi Silvana,
Mazzola Anna Alice,
Tagliaferri Beatrice,
Protasoni Giuseppe,
Brusoni Denise,
D'Aloya Gaetana,
Brusoni Bruno
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
echocardiography
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.404
H-Index - 62
eISSN - 1540-8175
pISSN - 0742-2822
DOI - 10.1111/j.1540-8175.2005.04056.x
Subject(s) - calcification , mitral annulus , medicine , intracardiac injection , differential diagnosis , lesion , radiology , pathology , cardiology , diastole , blood pressure
Mitral annular calcification (MAC) is a common echocardiographic finding. Caseous calcification is a rare variant appearing as a round, tumor‐like mass with central echolucent area located in the periannular region. Although occasionally misdiagnosed as a tumor and submitted to exploratory cardiotomy, this lesion appears to carry a benign prognosis. The true significance of caseous calcification is unknown; it might be an early and reversible stage of MAC or an atheroma‐like lesion. We describe a case of caseous calcification with spontaneous resolution in a 60‐year‐old woman—such a finding should be considered in the differential diagnosis of intracardiac masses.