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Updated: Apr 18, 2026
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Cardiac Magnetic Resonance for the Evaluation of Suspected Cardiac Thrombus: Conventional and Emerging Techniques
Published on: June 11, 2019
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A giant left atrial myxoma.
Medhat F Zaher1, Sharad Bajaj1, Mirette Habib1
1Department of Cardiology, St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center, 703 Main Street, Paterson, NJ 07503, USA.
Case Reports in Medicine
|January 15, 2015
Summary
Atrial myxomas, common heart tumors, can cause serious issues like blood flow obstruction. This case highlights a large left atrial myxoma mistaken for asthma, emphasizing the need for broader differential diagnoses.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Oncology
- Internal Medicine
Background:
- Atrial myxomas are the most frequent primary cardiac tumors.
- Left atrial myxomas typically manifest with symptoms of mechanical obstruction, systemic embolization, and constitutional disturbances.
- Differential diagnosis is crucial, especially when symptoms overlap with common respiratory conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To report an unusual case of a large left atrial myxoma.
- To illustrate the incidental discovery of cardiac myxoma in a patient with presumed bronchial asthma.
- To highlight the importance of considering cardiac tumors in the differential diagnosis of dyspnea.
Main Methods:
- Case report presentation.
- Review of patient's clinical history and diagnostic workup.
- Discussion of diagnostic challenges and imaging findings.
Main Results:
- An unusually large left atrial myxoma was incidentally discovered.
- The patient's longstanding dyspnea was initially managed as bronchial asthma.
- The myxoma was identified as the underlying cause of the patient's respiratory symptoms.
Conclusions:
- Large left atrial myxomas can present atypically, mimicking other conditions.
- Incidental diagnosis of cardiac myxoma is possible in patients with chronic respiratory symptoms.
- Comprehensive diagnostic evaluation is essential for accurate diagnosis and management of cardiac tumors.
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