Arq. Bras. Cardiol. 2024; 121(2): e20230222
Fibroelastoma, an Incidentaloma Disease? – Image Cases of Fibroelastomas as Incidental Findings in Four Patients, Four Different Valves
Joana Lima Lopes
, Antonio Freitas, João Bicho Augusto
Abstract
Fibroelastomas are the second most common benign cardiac tumor . They are small avascular structures with a mean size of 9mm, ranging up to 70mm, usually attached to the heart valves’ surface (aortic and mitral are the most affected, followed by tricuspid and pulmonary valves). Their etiology is unclear, but the hypothesis of coalescence of microthrombus at the coaptation margins of valves is the most widely accepted theory. On echocardiography, they are pedicled, mobile, with a filamentous surface, and usually have a speckled appearance with echolucencies and a stippled pattern near the edges. Clinically, they may be associated with embolic phenomena; however, in most cases, the diagnosis is incidental. We present a series of four clinical cases with an incidental diagnosis of fibroelastomas across the four cardiac valves as assessed by transthoracic echocardiography ( ; ).
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