title: Prolapsing left atrial myxoma: preoperative diagnosis using a multimodal imaging approach with magnetic resonance imaging and real-time three-dimensional echocardiography.
abstract: Real-time three-dimensional echocardiography (RT3DE) is a new promising technique for the evaluation of intracardiac masses. We present the diagnostic work-up using a multimodal-imaging approach in a 74-year-old patient with a prolapsing tumour in the left atrium suggestive of a myxoma, causing severe congestive heart failure attributable to dynamic left ventricular inflow obstruction, and mimicking severe mitral valve stenosis. Real-time three-dimensional echocardiography allowed to accurately image the entire volume of the myxoma, and to analyse the dynamic left ventricular inflow obstruction. The size of the lobulated mass as assessed by RT3DE was 65 x 25 x 22 mm. The mass was surgically removed, histology was diagnostic for myxoma, and the patient had an uneventful recovery. Real-time three-dimensional echocardiography images the entire volume of a mass allowing for accurate measurements in multiple planes, and allowing for real-time evaluation of obstructive effects on ventricular in- or outflow. This case shows how RT3DE and other non-invasive imaging modalities may be used as complementary techniques for evaluation of intracardiac masses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology and Angiology, Medizinische Klinik II, Ruhr-University Bochum, Hölkeskampring 40, D-44625 Herne, Germany. thomas.butz@marienhospital-herne.de
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Butz
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Scholtz
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Körfer
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maleszka
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jategaonkar
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Meissner
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Trappe
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Körfer
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Horstkotte
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kleikamp
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Faber
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D019560:Echocardiography, Three-Dimensional; D006325:Heart Atria; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000209:etiology; D006338:Heart Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009232:Myxoma / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery