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Sentinel cerebral embolic protection devices (CPDs) may limit periprocedural cerebrovascular events by preventing micro and macro-embolization to the brain, and has been used in many cardiology and radiology procedures. We hereby report the use of a Sentinel CPD to facilitate safe and effective atrial fibrillation ablation in a patient with a left atrial mass arising from the interatrial septum.

Invagination of an appendage into the left atrium is a rare complication. It occurs spontaneously or after open-heart surgery. In our case, a postoperative transesophageal echocardiogram, after closure of a ventricular septal defect in a 5-month-old infant, revealed a large mass in the left atrium. A diagnosis of a left appendage inversion was confirmed after external examination of the heart. Herein, we provide echocardiographic images before, during, and after manual reversion of the left appendage. Misdiagnosis of this complication could have led to an additional unnecessary surgical procedure that could have impacted on the patient's morbidity.

Emerging applications of myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE) include the evaluation of myocardial perfusion, the improvement of the definition of intracavitary structures, and evaluation of the relative perfusion of a cardiac mass. We present a case of a patient that was found incidentally to have a cardiac mass on transthoracic echocardiography. MCE was used to evaluate the vascularity of the mass. This case is compared with another patient with a left atrial thrombus, which represents an "avascular" cardiac mass by MCE.

We describe a case of left ventricular pseudoaneurysm with subepicardial dissection onto the left atrial wall, mimicking a smooth left atrial mass, causing partial obliteration of the left atrial cavity. This patient presented with a transient ischemic attack, most likely resulting from a thromboembolic episode to the brain. Emergent surgery was successfully performed and the patient is doing well at 1-year follow-up, with no signs of left atrial compression by transthoracic echocardiography. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

A 31-year-old woman underwent elective transthoracic echocardiography for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, which showed a large left atrial mass. A two-dimensional echocardiogram showed a large left atrium mass. Subsequent transesophageal echocardiography showed a 3 cm x 3 cm circular mass with smooth contours. The differential diagnosis included myxoma versus thrombus, but because of morphology and mobility of the mass, it was difficult to differentiate one from the other. The patient had been on chronic coumadin therapy for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. An operation was performed and the intracardiac mass resected. On pathologic examination the mass was diagnosed as an organized thrombus. A brief review of the literature has been presented to discuss the differential diagnosis of the mass in the left atrium.

Intraoperative postbypass transesophageal echocardiography demonstrated a large pedunculated left atrial mass secondary to invagination of the left atrial appendage into the left atrial cavity. The base of the mass was between the entrance of the left upper pulmonary vein and the posterior attachment of the mitral valve at the atrioventricular groove, and the body of it protruded into the left atrium and mitral funnel. Retraction of the appendage to its normal position resulted in disappearance of the mass. This diagnosis should be considered when a pedunculated mass with these morphological features is encountered in this setting. (ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY, Volume 10, November 1993)

Asymptomatic atrial myxomas are very rare and are usually diagnosed at echocardiography. Abnormal left atrial vascularity was seen as an incidental finding in an asymptomatic patient at coronary angiography. Transesophageal echocardiography revealed a large left atrial mass and a left atrial myxoma was removed at surgery. The patient remains well© 1993 Wlley-Liss, Inc

A highly mobile left atrial mass was detected by transesophageal echocardiography in a patient with mediastinal lymphoma. Transesophageal echocardiography also demonstrated resolution of the mass following chemotherapy. (ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY, Volume 20, August 2003)

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with anatomical remodeling of the left atrium (LA). The study sought to explore the relationships between AF and the LA mass and regional difference of posterior wall. Methods: Forty-six patients with paroxysmal AF (PAF), 16 patients with Persistent (PeAF) and 28 controls without AF history were included. The LA wall mass, transmural thickness between the endocardial and epicardial surface and LA volume were evaluated with 64-slice multi-detector computed tomography. The entire LA body was divided into 18 segments for analysis of regional variability. Results: The LA wall mass was greater in AF patients (PeAF:PAF:control: 17.94±3.86 versus 13.19±358 versus 10.77±3.58 cm3, p