The case of the disappearing myxoma.
We present a case demonstrating the utility of cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) in the diagnosis of a cardiac mass. A 70-year-old female who presented with chest pressure and left sided jaw pain was found to have a cardiac mass on transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography that was diagnosed as an atrial myxoma. A cardiac magnetic resonance test determined the mass to be more consistent with a thrombus than a myxoma through a stepwise approach using multiple pulse sequences. Thus, unwarranted and potentially risky thoracic surgery was avoided by the incorporation of a systematic evaluation by cardiac MRI.
Heitner
John F
JF
Division of Cardiology, New York Methodist Hospital, Brooklyn, NY 11215, USA. heitn001@mc.duke.edu
Klem
Igor
I
Alexander
Karen
K
Thomson
Louise
L
Meine
Trip J
TJ
Patel
Manesh R
MR
Haq
Salman A
SA
Shah
Dipan J
DJ
Kim
Raymond J
RJ
D000368:Aged; D020517:Atrial Appendage / Q000473:pathology; D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000473:pathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004452:Echocardiography; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D005260:Female; D006338:Heart Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009232:Myxoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D011667:Pulmonary Veins / Q000473:pathology; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000473:pathology