Open AccessTransthoracic echo: A sensitive tool for detecting cardiac extension of renal cell carcinoma?
Author(s) -
Michelle A. Bejarano,
Yara L Cameron,
Theodore C. Koutlas,
Assad Movahed
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
world journal of clinical cases
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.368
H-Index - 10
ISSN - 2307-8960
DOI - 10.12998/wjcc.v2.i8.377
Subject(s) - medicine , inferior vena cava , renal cell carcinoma , thrombus , radiology , malignancy , right atrium , magnetic resonance imaging , cardiac imaging , cardiology
Renal cell carcinoma is a common urological malignancy with the unique ability to invade the inferior vena cava (IVC) and to extend into the right atrium of the heart. Of those with Renal cell carcinoma only 4%-25% are found to have IVC invasion and of those only 2%-10% extend into the right atrium. If treated surgically, extension of tumor thrombus is not a determinant of survival; therefore it is imperative to determine the presence and extent of tumor thrombus in order to determine surgical approach and tumor resection. To date this has been primarily accomplished by magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography. We present a case of 61 years old African American woman in which transthoracic echocardiography provided a more accurate determination/characterization of the presence and degree of tumor thrombus and extension.