An Unusual Metallic Foreign Body in the Right Ventricle

Cardiac retained foreign bodies are very rare. We report the case of man with an iron splinter migrated from the arm to the right ventricle by a venous pathway after a traumatic upper arm injury, occurred while working on a manhole. The presence of the metallic foreign body was accidentaly discovered, twelve years later, during a cardiac magnetic resonance exam. Although very little, it caused a huge round-shaped artifact covering the entire right ventricle. Nevertheless the MR exam was immediately terminated as soon as the metal artifact was detected. A cardiac Computed Tomography confirmed the metallic nature. The magnetic exposure did not cause complications and a medical follow up was prescribed. Previous literature is reviewed.

Keywords: cardiac mass, traumatic embolization, foreign body, imaging artifact.