title: Obstructive giant cardiac tumour in a patient with chest pain and acute respiratory insufficiency.
abstract: A 77-year-old woman presented with dyspnoea and respiratory-related thoracic pain, which was accompanied by dizziness and fatigue but no syncopal attacks. Auscultation of the heart disclosed an opening snap with mid-diastolic murmur. Laboratory assessment revealed no abnormalities but an elevated D-dimer level (1.49 mg/l). Electrocardiography was normal. The chest radiograph showed an enlarged heart without other abnormalities. Computed tomography (CT) scan for a suspected diagnosis of pulmonary embolism was performed. The CT scan did not reveal pulmonary embolism, but a large cardiac tumour in the left atrium.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Albert Schweitzer Hospital, Dordrecht, The Netherlands. brugts@asz.nl
authors.forename: Jasper J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Brugts
authors.forename: Ewout J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: van den Bos
authors.forename: John B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Raap
authors.forename: Pieter C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: van de Woestijne
authors.forename: Marcel J M
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kofflard
authors.forename: Atilla
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dirkali
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures; D002637:Chest Pain / Q000209:etiology*; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D005260:Female; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000473:pathology; D006326:Heart Auscultation; D006338:Heart Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008946:Mitral Valve Stenosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D009232:Myxoma / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000209:etiology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D047368:Tumor Burden