title: Transseptal fine needle aspiration of a large left atrial tumour.
abstract: The diagnosis of cardiac tumours is often based on images without tissue diagnosis or tissue obtained at surgery. Percutaneous myocardial biopsy via a transvenous approach has been described in literatures but this technique is not feasible with left atrial tumours. We report a patient presenting with heart failure and left atrial tumour. The diagnosis of spindle cell neoplasm was established pre-operatively via successful transseptal fine needle aspiration of cells from a left atrial tumour. We believe this technique worth consideration to aid pre-surgery diagnosis.
authors: Green Lane Cardiovascular Service, Auckland City Hospital, Grafton, Auckland, New Zealand. kitwong@xtra.co.nz
authors: Chi Wing
authors: CW
authors: Wong
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Ruygrok
authors: Timothy
authors: T
authors: Sutton
authors: Patricia
authors: P
authors: Ding
authors: Chris
authors: C
authors: van Vliet
authors: Christopher
authors: C
authors: Occleshaw
authors: Warren
authors: W
authors: Smith
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle / Q000379:methods*; D005471:Fluoroscopy; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000601:surgery*; D006338:Heart Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional