Incidental left atrial and ventricular thrombi on routine CT: outcome and influence on subsequent management at an urban tertiary care referral center

Abstract

Incidental left-sided cardiac thrombi are occasionally encountered on CT. This study examined clinical findings and outcome in patients with incidental cardiac thrombi on CT. Our image database was reviewed for incidental left-sided cardiac thrombi on CT. These patients' charts were retrospectively reviewed. Thirty-five patients had incidental left-sided cardiac thrombi on CT, 26 of which were ventricular and 9 atrial. Thirty-two thrombi were unknown prior to the CT, and the radiologist interpretation triggered echocardiography or anticoagulation in most cases. Embolic complications occurred in 14 patients, 4 of which were fatal. Twelve patients had concomitant cancer, 6 of which were newly discovered. Incidental left-sided cardiac thrombi on CT appeared to confer substantial morbidity and mortality in our study. In many cases, the cardiac thrombi were new and led to changes in management. A high rate of malignancy was also noted, which may be related to the hypercoagulable state of malignancy.

Keywords: Atrial; CT; Cardiac; Incidental; Thrombus; Ventricular.