[Liquefactive necrosis of the mitral ring].

Liquefactive necrosis of the mitral ring is a rare type of periannular calcification that has a characteristic appearance. It is usually discovered incidentally during echocardiography. On CT, it typically appears as a hypointense or hyperintense semilunar mass with margins of greater density that is situated in the area behind the annulus. The routine use of MDCT has led to increasing detection of this entity, and it is important for radiologists to be familiar with these findings to avoid diagnostic errors. We present three cases of liquefactive necrosis of the mitral ring, one of which was confirmed at surgery. We discuss the imaging characteristics and differential diagnosis of this entity.