Approach to cardiac masses: Thinking inside and outside the box

Table 1 Classification of cardiac masses

Site of mass	Normal variant structures	Abnormal masses
Left ventricle	False tendon, trabeculations, papillary muscle	Thrombus, tumor
Left atrium	Coumadin ridge, fibromuscular membrane	Thrombus, tumor
Right ventricle	Moderator band, trabeculations, pacemaker leads	Thrombus, tumor
Right atrium	Crista terminalis, eustachian valve, Chiari network, lipomatous hypertrophy of atrial septum, pacemaker leads	Thrombus, tumor
Valves	Lambl’s excrescence (aortic valve), annular calcification	Thrombus, infective vegetations (native valve and prosthesis), tumor (native valve)
Pericardium	Pericardial fat	Pericardial malignant mesothelioma
Paracardiac	Hiatal hernia	Mediastinal/thoracic tumor compression