Recurrence of an atrial myxoma.

A 22-year-old man had an operation 14 years ago for removal of a left atrial myxoma. He was admitted to our hospital because of acute femoral arterial embolism. Echocardiographic examination revealed a mobile pedunculated echodense atrial mass attached to the atrial septum. At operation, the left atrium was found to be occupied with a gelatinous pale mass attached by a stalk to the atrial septum. The tumour was extirpated along with a part of atrial septum, which was assumed to be involved in the tumour. The atrial septal defect created was closed with patch. Histopathological examination of excised material revealed typical features of a myxoma.     

Surgical experience with intracardiac myxomas

Eighteen patients underwent surgery for intracardiac myxoma (16 left atrial and 2 right atrial) during the last 10 years. Seventeen patients had tumour stalk attached to the oval fossa. The myxoma was excised along with a cuff of the atrial septum, which was reconstructed using a Dacron patch in 15 patients and by direct suture in 2 patients. In the remaining case the myxoma was attached to the left atrial wall and adjacent atrioventricular junction. There was only one early death in a patient who underwent a concomitant lobectomy for lung abscess and one late death due to a noncardiac cause. During the follow-up period of 3-96 months (average 36 months) all the survivors were in New York Heart Association Class I. Scanning electron microscopy of tumour tissue was done in 8 cases. The morphological findings did not help in categorizing the tumours into any pathological subgroups. Postoperative cardiac catheterization done in 3 patients (30-50 months postoperatively) showed return of haemodynamics to normal. Echocardiographic studies done postoperatively have not revealed recurrence of tumour in any patient. Surgical excision of myxomas is possible with very gratifying long-term results.     

Atrial septal hematogenous cyst with calcification mimicking myxoma: A rare case

A 61-year-old female presented with right atrial mass during physical examination. Contrast-enhanced left heart echocardiography revealed a mass with the size of 32*23 mm in the right atrium, attached to the atrial septum; there was a certain degree of activity and deformation. MRI showed a mass of about 35*22 mm in the right atrium adjacent to the atrial septum, which was diagnosed with right atrial myxoma. Intraoperative TEE showed that the mass was located in the atrial septum close to the inferior vena cava and spontaneous echo contrast with hyperechoic images within the mass. The lesion was resected under cardiopulmonary bypass. Pathological examination revealed that the filling defect was an atrial septal hematogenous cyst with calcification.     

Two dimensional echocardiographic detection of intraatrial masses

With two dimensional echocardiography, a left atrial mass was detected in 19 patients. Of these, 10 patients with rheumatic mitral stenosis had a left atrial thrombus. The distinctive two dimensional echocardiographic features of left atrial thrombus included a mass of irregular nonmobile laminated echoes within an enlarged atrial cavity, usually with a broad base of attachment to the posterior left atrial wall. Seven patients had a left atrial myxoma. Usually, the myxoma appeared as a mottled ovoid, sharply demarcated mobile mass attached to the interatrial septum. One patient had a right atrial angiosarcoma that appeared as a nonmobile mass extending from the inferior vena caval-right atrial junction into the right atrial cavity. One patient had a left atrial leiomyosarcoma producing a highly mobile mass attached to the lateral wall of the left atrium. M mode echocardiography detected six of the seven myxomas, one thrombus and neither of the other tumors. Thus, two dimensional echocardiography appears to be the technique of choice in the detection, localization and differentiation of intraatrial masses.     

A rare giant right atrial myxoma arising from crista terminalis

A case of giant right atrial myxoma arising from the crista terminalis in a 32-year-old woman with a history of palpitation and dyspnea on great exersion. There was a discrepancy between a large right atrial mass and less intensity of signs. Our patient underwent surgical treatment with excision in bloc with safety margin of the atrial wall, and the right atrial wall was repaired by autologous pericardium after tricuspid valve repair by the DEVEGA technique.     

Myxoid leiomyosarcoma of the left atrium: a rare malignancy of the heart and its comparison with atrial myxoma

Primary tumours of the heart are rare. The majority of these tumours are benign, with myxomas located in the left atrium being the most common form. Almost all malignant tumours are sarcomas and occur preferentially in the right side of the heart. An exception to this rule is leiomyosarcoma, a rare form of primary cardiac sarcoma that occurs predominantly in the left atrium, as does cardiac myxoma. The case of a 53-year-old woman who presented with symptoms of mitral valve stenosis and pulmonary hypertension is reported. Cardiac catheterization, angiography and echocardiography revealed a left atrial mass that was interpreted as atrial myxoma. At the time of operation, the myxoid appearance of the tumour mass further supported this assumption. The tumour, including a wide rim of atrial septum, was removed with cautery. Histopathological examination unexpectedly showed that the tumour was not an atrial myxoma but rather a myxoid variant of a primary leiomyosarcoma. Immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy confirmed the diagnosis. Local radiotherapy was considered but deemed contraindicated in view of the longstanding pulmonary hypertension. Two months after excision, a repeat echocardiogram indicated recurrence of tumour in the left atrium, and the patient died a few days later. The preferential left atrial location and the frequently myxoid appearance of primary leiomyosarcomas of the heart make it particularly difficult to differentiate them preoperatively from atrial myxomas. The authors recommend resection of all atrial myxoid tumours with a wide (at least 1 cm) margin, combined with intraoperative frozen section diagnosis, because complete surgical resection appears to correlate with prolonged survival in the few reported cases of atrial leiomyosarcomas. In cases of incomplete initial resection or local recurrence in the absence of metastatic disease, heart transplantation may be a valid option in appropriately selected patients.     

Familial recurring cardiac myxoma

A 34-year-old woman presented with her fourth occurrence of an atrial myxoma and a right lower lung field mass. Her surgical history was extensive. In addition to resection of three previous atrial myxomas, she had undergone resection of her adrenal glands as a teenager because of Cushing's syndrome, and a hysterectomy at age 26 revealed a myxoid leiomyoma. Family history was remarkable as a maternal uncle and daughter died from embolic complications of left atrial myxomas and her sister previously had a left atrial myxoma resected. The patient underwent uncomplicated removal of the myxoma, and resection of the lung mass revealed a granuloma. A review of typical and atypical aspects of cardiac myxomas is provided including a rare and recently described syndrome of familial cardiac myxoma associated with Cushing's syndrome, spotty skin pigmentation and other myxoid tumors.     

Kidney tumour mimicking cardiac mass

The discovery of a mass in the right atrium obliges the clinician to perform a broad differential diagnosis between a primary cardiac tumour (with myxoma being the most frequent), invasion of an extracardiac tumour, vegetations on the tricuspid valve, and an atrial thrombus. We describe the case of a patient who was admitted to our service with a diagnosis of suspected myxoma based on the chance transthoracic echocardiographic discovery of a right atrial mass. A transesophageal echocardiogram showed the process to be extracardiac, and magnetic resonance imaging showed it to originate at the renal level extending via the inferior vena cava to the right atrium. Tumour extension with thrombosis of the vena cava is a relatively frequent complication of renal carcinoma, but only exceptionally does it reach the right atrium. It is also exceptional that this was a chance finding in an asymptomatic patient.     

Contrast echocardiography of right atrial mass due to hepatocellular carcinoma

We describe one patient suffering from hepatocellular carcinoma who presented with a right atrial metastatic tumour as a result of invasion of the inferior vena cava and extension into the right atrium. Two-dimensional echocardiography disclosed the right atrium tumour and SonoVue contrast agent echocardiography was employed to assess the local extension of the mass and to exclude an important obstruction due to a mass in the right ventricular inflow. Surgical management in the presence of metastatic right atrial tumour thrombus is described in the literature with poor results and this type of treatment should be reserved only for selected cases in which acute and severe cardiovascular distress due to obstruction of right ventricular inflow is present.     

Right Atrial Thrombus Mimicking a Myxoma: Synergism of Hormonal Contraceptives and Antiphospholipid Antibodies

Cardiac thrombus, the most common intracardiac mass, is typically seen in the left side of the heart in the presence of atrial fibrillation, mitral stenosis, or impaired global wall motion. Right atrial thrombus, which is rarer, is usually associated with central venous catheter placement or pulmonary embolism. We present the case of a 24-year-old woman with a history of mitral valve prolapse who presented with fatigue and palpitations. Echocardiograms and cardiac magnetic resonance images revealed a right atrial mass compatible with a myxoma. However, after surgical excision of this and a second mass discovered intraoperatively, pathologic evaluation confirmed organized thrombus rather than myxoma.The patient''s only risk factor was her use of oral contraceptive pills. Test results for hypercoagulable disorders revealed the presence of antiphosphatidylserine, an uncommon antiphospholipid antibody. The patient stopped taking the contraceptive. This case suggests the need to examine further the role of antiphosphatidylserine antibodies in the diagnosis of antiphospholipid syndrome.     

An incidental calcified right atrial mass

A 58-year-old man presented to his family physician with a mild cough. A routine chest x-ray revealed a 4 cm 'ring opacity' in the right atrium. A transthoracic echocardiogram revealed a 41 mm x 33 mm mass in the right atrium. The patient underwent urgent cardiac surgery, where a firm to hard 4 cm x 3 cm mass was excised. Pathology revealed an old, largely infarcted and calcified right atrial myxoma. A review of the published literature shows that this case is the first to demonstrate an almost completely infarcted atrial myxoma with only a few clusters of viable cells identified histologically.     

Embolus to the right atrium simulating myxoma

A space-occupying mass of the right atrium was found by two-dimensional echocardiography and angiography in a 68-year-old woman whose clinical diagnosis indicated multiple pulmonary emboli. Since right heart myxomas frequently cause pulmonary thromboembolism, the patient was initially diagnosed by noninvasive and invasive techniques as having a right atrial myxoma. Surgery, however, revealed the pathologic findings of large thrombi of the right atrium, femoral and iliac veins, and pulmonary arteries. This case vividly demonstrates that deep venous thrombosis may embolize and lodge in the right atrial cavity simulating a right atrial myxoma.     

A giant left atrial myxoma as a cause of a low cardiac output syndrome: a case report

A case of a 75-year-old female with a giant left atrial myxoma (54 x 42 mm in transthoracic echocardiography) is presented. She remained in a stable condition, however, developed a low cardiac output syndrome shortly after echocardiographic examination. This was caused by tumour displacement from the atrial wall into the left ventricle. The patient underwent urgent surgery during which the tumour was successfully removed. Histopathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of myxoma. Six months after surgery the patient is doing well.     

Ockham's razor or Hickam's dictum: a right atrial mass following excision of left atrial myxoma

We report a case of a 54-year-old man presenting with a rightatrial mass 7 months after undergoing a left atrial myxoma excisionsurgery. The differential diagnosis included recurrent myxomaor thrombus. The patient underwent repeat open sternotomy oncardiopulmonary bypass. Histopathological evaluation of themass revealed an organizing thrombus. This report is, to ourknowledge, the first that demonstrates right atrial thrombusshortly following excision of left atrial myxoma.     

Cardiac metastasis from colorectal cancer： A case report

The heart is an unusual site of metastasis from any malignancy. We report a case of cardiac metastasis from colorectal cancer. A 70-year-old woman was referred with a presumptive diagnosis of sigmoid colon cancer with cardiac myxoma. Two-dimensional echocardiography showed a 4 cm x 4.5 cm mobile mass on the lateral right atrial wall, and computed tomography revealed a low attenuated Iobulating mass in the right atrium. The patient underwent anterior resection for sigmoid colon cancer （T4N2）. Thereafter, she experienced progressive shortness of breath. Therefore, a cardiac operation was performed 2 wk after the colorectal operation. Histological examination revealed adenocarcinoma, which was identical to the primary lesion. Although two- dimensional echocardiography has become the diagnostic test of choice for detecting cardiac tumors, in patients with colorectal cancer showing a cardiac mass, further diagnostic evaluation such as a magnetic resonance imaging might be necessary.     

Comparison of mono and bidimensional echocardiography in the diagnosis of atrial myxoma

The diagnosis of atrial myxoma, the most common cardiac tumour, has been greatly facilitated by the introduction of echocardiography. The principal echocardiographic features and the diagnostic pitfalls encountered in a personal series of 7 atrial myxomas (5 left and 2 right) studied by M mode and 2-dimensional echocardiography are reported. In M mode, left atrial myxoma is a relatively easy diagnosis when the tumour prolapses into the mitral orifice. On standard mitro-aortic scanning, it is recorded behind the anterior mitral leaflet as a mass of abnormal echos appearing shortly after mitral valve opening. The diagnosis is much more difficult or even impossible in nonprolapsing tumours. Right atrial myxomas, prolapsing into the tricuspid orifice, do not usually pose any diagnotic problems. 2-dimensional echocardiography shows its superiority in the early diagnosis of small, localised, relatively immobile and non-prolapsing tumours. The parasternal (long axis and transverse views), the apical (4 and 2 chamber views) and subxiphoid positions were the most useful incidences and the tumour was visualised as a more or less circumscribed mass of echos. In all cases, 2-dimensional echo provided information on the size, mobility, insertion and the length of the pedicle of the tumour. Atrial myxoma is being recognised more easily and more often nowadays by echocardiography, the diagnostic method of choice, and 2-dimensional studies should be preferred.     

Cardiac granulocytic sarcoma diagnosed by intracardiac echocardiography-guided biopsy

A 52-year-old man presented with clinical and echocardiographic signs of cardiac tamponade. A transthoracic echocardiogram revealed a large right atrial mass that obstructed the superior vena cava flow. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography demonstrated extracardiac tumour invasion of the free atrial wall extending to the right pulmonary hilus. Intracardiac echocardiography-guided biopsy of the tumour revealed the tissue diagnosis-granulocytic sarcoma of the heart. The patient was effectively treated with radiotherapy, chemotherapy and allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation. He has remained free of the disease for 12 months after treatment.     

Calcified mass in the right atrium extending into the inferior vena cava with pulmonary artery embolization. Typical or atypical myxoma?

Cardiac masses are divided into neoplastic and non-neoplastic. They usually represent a diagnostic challenge given their relative rarity, their infrequent symptoms, and the overall difficulty with dynamic imaging of the heart. While echocardiography is useful in the initial evaluation of a suspected mass, cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging is the best imaging modality to characterize cardiac tumors due to its superior tissue characterization and its higher contrast resolution. For neoplastic, primary cardiac tumors are rare (0.05%). Atrial myxoma is the most common cardiac (50%) mass. About 75%-80% of myxoma are seen in the left atrium. Atypical myxoma is a term describing myxoma arising in other nonleft atrial locations. 20%-25% myxomas arise from the right atrium and 5% or less from the ventricles. We present a case of a 59-year-old female patient presenting with severe dyspnea. Her chest noncontrast CT showed a calcified mass lesion in the right atrium extending into the inferior vena cava. She underwent cardiac MRI for better tissue characterization. The cardiac MRI revealed a very irregular, highly spiculated, heavily calcified, heterogeneous, and nonenhancing lesion within the right atrium extending into the inferior vena cava. Via dynamic imaging, no evidence of mobile components was present. Via T1, T2 along with pre- and postcontrast imaging, the mass was confirmed to be calcified without a fibrotic component or evidence of thrombus. The above findings raised the possibility of atypical myxoma.     

Right atrial thrombus resembling myxoma

A patient who had a VVI pacemaker implanted 4 years ago presented with exertional dyspnea. He was found to have a large mobile ovoid mass in the right atrium attached to the lateral atrial wall apart from the pacing electrode. The tumor resembling a myxoma was removed successfully under cardiopulmonary bypass and found to be an organized thrombus.     

Mediastinal space-occupying lesion as a rare cause of atrial arrhythmia

HISTORY AND CLINICAL FINDINGS: A 61 year old man presented with newly developed tachyarrhythmia. Echocardiographically a tumour of unclear origin in the left atrium was diagnosed. INVESTIGATIONS: The heart rate in the ECG was arrhythmic at 146/min; intermittently sinus rhythm was established. Transoesophageal echocardiography revealed a 90 x 50 mm tumour with sharp borders displacing both atria. The chest x-ray showed a mediastinal rounded mass in the dorsal part overlapping the right mediastinal border. Computer tomography was unable to discriminate the atrial wall from the tumour masses; hence the difference between an (intra-)cardiac tumour (i.e. myxoma) and a tumour of extracardiac (mediastinal) origin could not be established. Additional magnetic resonance tomography led to the most probable diagnosis of a bronchogenic cyst, which spread ventrally up to the ascending aorta and dorsally to the paravertebral region, thus displacing and shrinking the left pulmonary artery and the left atrium. THERAPY: For certain exclusion of malignancy and because of displacement of other thoracic structures the patient was operated on this mediastinal mass by anterolateral thoracotomy. Histologically a dysontogenetic, benign cyst with an inner layer of mesothel and nerval as well as vascular structures in the capsule was diagnosed. Since the operation the patient has persistent sinus rhythm without symptoms of relevant rhythm disorders. An overview of different kinds of intrathoracical cysts is given.