title: Radiological characteristics of atrial myxoma in Cardiac Computed Tomography.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although the primary role of Cardiac Computed Tomography (CCT) is assessment of the coronary arteries, the technique also allows detailed examination of cardiac structures and other cardiac pathologies including cardiac myxoma. However, limited data exists regarding the CCT characteristics of cardiac myxoma.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe the radiological characteristics of a series of cardiac myxomas in CCT.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively identified all patients at our tertiary urban referral centre with cardiac myxoma on CCT over a seven-year period between July 2008 and July 2015. We describe the CCT characteristics of eight cases. Seven of them had histologically documented myxoma after surgical removal, while one patient had a lesion suggestive of myxoma on echocardiography and CCT.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eight patients were diagnosed with cardiac myxoma, comprising five females and three males. Seven of eight myxomas were located in the left atrium and one in the right atrium. Seven myxomas were polypoid in shape and one myxoma was villous. The average size was 22 × 26 mm. Calcification was present in half of the myxomas and average attenuation was 74 ± 46 Hounsfield Units.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CCT has an important role in assessment of cardiac structures. This series highlights the radiological characteristics of cardiac myxoma.
authors.affiliation: Monash Cardiovascular Research Centre, MonashHEART, Monash Health and Monash University Department of Medicine (MMC), Melbourne, Australia. Electronic address: Kaawa22@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Kawa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Haji
authors.affiliation: Monash Cardiovascular Research Centre, MonashHEART, Monash Health and Monash University Department of Medicine (MMC), Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: Arthur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nasis
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D006338:Heart Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009232:Myxoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D047368:Tumor Burden; D014739:Victoria
keywords: Cardiac Computed Tomography; Cardiac tumor; Myxoma