[A case of cardiac lipoma of the anterior tricuspid leaflet].

A 42-year-old man with cardiac lipoma of the anterior tricuspid leaflet is reported. He had a chief complaint of epigastric discomfort, and a pansystolic murmur was heard at the left sternal border in the 4th intercostal space. Two-dimensional echocardiography disclosed a mobile high density stalkless mass having several areas of low density. Two-dimensional Doppler echocardiogram revealed a moderate degree of tricuspid regurgitation. These findings were more clearly visualized on transesophageal echocardiogram. MRI revealed a high signal intensity on the T1-weighted image and a high radiodensity surrounding the mass using a contrast medium of Gd-DTPA. A 2.0 x 1.3 x 0.8 cm hemispherical, lobulated and sessile yellow mass was excised by means of open heart surgery, and tricuspid valvuloplasty was performed. The mass was adipose tissue and was surrounded by fibrous tissue just under the lamina fibrosa. These findings were compatible with those of the preoperative examinations, although the preoperative diagnosis was not conclusive. This was our first case of cardiac lipoma in which the tricuspid valve was successfully excised.