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Updated: Jul 31, 2025

Cardiac Magnetic Resonance for the Evaluation of Suspected Cardiac Thrombus: Conventional and Emerging Techniques
Published on: June 11, 2019
Giant left atrial myxoma causing acute ischemic stroke
Giuseppina Chiarello1, Massimiliano Garzya1, Mario Donateo1
1Cardiology Unit, Vito Fazzi Hospital, Piazza Filippo Muratore, Lecce, 1, 73100, Italy.
Insights
Atrial myxoma, a cardiac tumor, can cause ischemic stroke. Prompt diagnosis via echocardiography and timely surgical excision are crucial for patient outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Neurology
Background:
- Atrial myxomas are primary cardiac tumors.
- These tumors can lead to embolic events, such as ischemic stroke.
Abstract:
Atrial myxomas are primary cardiac tumors which may cause ischemic stroke. The authors present a case of a 51-year-old man admitted to the emergency department with right-sided hemiplegia and aphasia caused by ischemic stroke. 2D and 3D transesophageal echocardiography showed an atrial myxoma described as a large mass in the left atrium attached to the interatrial septum. In the end, surgical excision of the myxoma was performed 48 h after diagnosis. Nowadays, specific guidelines concerning the correct time for surgical excision of the myxoma are lacking. The authors highlight the utmost role of echocardiography to promptly characterize a cardiac mass and the importance of discuss about the timing of cardiac surgery.
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