Mitral Valve Lymphoma: An Unusual Cause of Embolic Strokes

Abstract

An 80-year-old woman with a history of non-Hodgkin lymphoma and branch retinal artery occlusion presented with acute visual changes and received a diagnosis of multifocal embolic cerebral infarcts. Cardiac imaging revealed a mobile left atrial mass on the mitral valve. Surgical excision was undertaken because of the high risk of recurrent embolization and strokes. Histopathologic examination demonstrated chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma within a fibrinous and calcified matrix. This case illustrates a rare intracardiac manifestation of lymphoma serving as a cardioembolic source and highlights the importance of considering hematologic malignant disease in the differential diagnosis of intracardiac masses.