we have studied the patients who had a neck mass on presentation in five medical centers of tehran univ. of medical sciences (infectious disease department, ent department, dentistry faculty, cancer institute) during a period of 14 months. sixty patients, 20 women and 40 men, were eligible for our study. all patients underwent clinical and paraclinical work up and finally had histologic diagnos...

Abnormal masses (tumors, thrombi, vegetations) must be distinguished from normal cardiac structures that may mimic a mass. The echocardiographic evaluation of intracardiac masses is dependent on the ability to distinguish normal from abnormal findings.1 Erroneous diagnoses may lead to inappropriate medical therapy and even inappropriate surgery.3 Recognition of such normal variants depends on i...

The echocardiographic findings by transesophageal and transthoracic techniques were compared in 16 patients with right atrial mass lesions diagnosed by transesophageal echocardiography. In only 8 of the 16 patients were the masses imaged by transthoracic echocardiography. Masses in the main body of the right atrium (three of five), as well as those associated with indwelling catheters and pacer...

Cardiac papillary fibroelastomas (CPF) are rare cardiac tumors, mostly found on the valvular surfaces in the heart. These tumors are frond like in nature and are benign, intracardiac masses, rarely causing any hemodynamic disturbances. However, excision of these masses is indicated due to their propensity to embolize. We present a case report of the tumor found on the coumadin ridge, causing tr...

Overall, the prevalence of primary cardiac neoplasms is approximately 0.3% and these masses should be distinguished from the myriad of other primary and secondary processes that can occur in the heart. Tumors within, attached to, or near the heart can cause direct cardiac damage, can result in thrombus formation, can compromise blood flow and can embolize distally. Hence, proper diagnosis is cl...