Ultrasonic demonstration of right ventricular myxoma

A case of right ventricular myxoma masquerading as infundibular pulmonic stenosis with right-sided heart failure is presented. The unsuspected tumor was diagnosed with two-dimensional multicrystal real time scanning and single element echocardiography. Direct visualization of the tumor anatomy and its spatial relationships on cross-sectional images facilitates the diagnosis. On the other hand, the more accurate motion analysis form the time-motion display of the echo data yields additional functional information. Thus the two techniques are complementary to establish a diagnosis in those disorders where anatomy and function overlap. Ultrasonic examination yields a practical solution to the problem of screening patients to detect intracardiac tumors. This painless, noninvasive examination should be included in the analysis of every patient with cardiac symptoms.