title: Multicystic/cavitated giant left atrial myxomas: a matter of technology?
abstract: We present the case of a rare echocardiographic image of a giant cavitated myxoma and the pathologic findings of the cystic mass. The new echocardiographic equipment not only has improved the sensitivity for diagnosis of different pathologies but also has redefined its visual and morphologic characteristics. Although most myxomas are solid masses and some cystic myxomas have been reported, the presence of multiple cavities on echocardiographic exam has exceptionally been described. While cystic changes have been described at autopsy in 14% of cardiac myxomas, its identification with echocardiography is rare. Nowadays, the new echocardiographic equipment has improved the quality and the accuracy to detect and describe intracardiac masses, showing myxomas with cystic cavities in vivo that in the past was a pathologic finding.
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Department, Laboratorio de Ecocardiografía, Fundacion Jimenez Diaz, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, Avenida Reyes Católicos 2, 28040 Madrid, Spain. jbenezet@yahoo.es
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Benezet-Mazuecos
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Marcos-Alberca
authors.forename: Jeronimo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Farre
authors.forename: Felix
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Manzarbeitia
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rabago
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rey
mesh_terms: D003560:Cysts / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D005260:Female; D006325:Heart Atria; D006338:Heart Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009232:Myxoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*