A Case of Epicardial Lipomatous Hypertrophy: A Mimicker of Pericardial Mass
- Author:
Ket Meng CHIN
1
;
Tai Meng CHEN
;
Nor Hanim Mohd AMIN
Author Information
- Publication Type:CASE REPORT
- From: Cardiovascular Imaging Asia 2024;8(4):81-83
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
- Abstract: Epicardial lipomatous hypertrophy (ELH) is a rare histologically benign condition characterized by excessive accumulation of epicardial fat. We report a case of a 68-year-old female who experienced reduced effort tolerance for the past year. A transthoracic echocardiogram revealed a suspicious circumferential mass around the heart. Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) was subsequently performed and identified a 13- to 15-mm-thick layer of epicardial fat surrounding the myocardium, with a small pericardial effusion at the lateral wall. Cardiac function was preserved, and her symptoms were ultimately attributed to atherosclerotic coronary disease, which was treated accordingly. This case highlights the importance of using complimentary multimodal imaging such as CMR, to differentiate between ELH and others, for accurate diagnosis and further management.
