title: New diagnosis of left atrial myxoma in a 93-year-old woman.
abstract: A 93-year-old woman with a history of hypertension was noted to have a mass in the left atrium prolapsing partially through the mitral valve on a routine surface echocardiogram in 2002. A transesophageal echocardiogram was then performed revealing an irregular mass with an appearance of protruding fronds of tissue. The echogenicity of the mass was inhomogeneous with some areas of punctate calcification, and the mass was attached to the interatrial septum. The echocardiographic appearance of the mass was almost pathognomic of atrial myxoma, and this is the oldest patient yet to have been diagnosed with a probable myxoma. The patient did not want surgical removal of the mass. She is still asymptomatic at the age of 95 years.
authors.affiliation: Hamot Medical Center, Erie, PA 16507, USA. ampukang@adelphia.net
authors.forename: Gurjaipal
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Parampal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bhullar
authors.forename: Manjot
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kang
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000503:physiopathology; D009232:Myxoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014463:Ultrasonography