Right atrial masses are rare and diagnosis can be difficult unless histopathological specimens are obtained. In addition, the clinical course is not well documented, thereby making diagnosis and management challenging. The mass can be associated with haemodynamic instability with the potential to cause obstructive shock and embolism. We present the case of a young woman with untreated chronic myelogenous leukaemia with a massive haemodynamically significant right atrial mass. The usefulness of multimodality imaging and a multidisciplinary approach for diagnosing and treating this condition is highlighted.
Learning points:
Right atrial mass is rare and can lead to pulmonary embolism and haemodynamic instability.As chronic myelogenous leukaemia is associated with an increased risk of thromboembolism, thrombus should be considered in the differential diagnosis of intracardiac masses.Multimodality imaging is indicated to guide diagnosis and appropriate management; in case of diagnostic uncertainty, histopathology may be needed to obtain a definitive diagnosis.