CMR Assessment of Cardiac Masses

Abstract

Cardiac masses are rare entities; however, they can cause significant morbidity and mortality. The management of cardiac masses varies based on patient’s clinical symptoms, type, and extension of the mass. Clinical symptoms are nonspecific, and usually these masses are great masqueraders of common cardiac and systemic diseases. Therefore, cardiac imaging plays a substantial role in the management of cardiac masses. Multiple imaging modalities are available, including echocardiography, cardiac computed tomography (CT), cardiac F-18 fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG), positron emission tomography (PET)/CT, and cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging. Evaluation of patients with clinical suspicion for cardiac masses begins with echocardiography; however, CMR imaging is usually considered as the next step in comprehensive assessment. In addition to the tissue and blood flow characterization within the mass, CMR imaging can assess cardiac function as well as extracardiac involvement. This chapter provides a detailed review of cardiac masses including CMR imaging findings and an overview of the optimal CMR imaging techniques.