Identification of a Cardiac Myxoma on a Breast MRI

Cardiac myxomas are a rare, benign, and often asymptomatic tumor, commonly found in the left atrium. They are typically detected incidentally via echocardiography or other imaging modalities and are usually treated with surgical resection.

A 44-year-old woman presented to our hospital due to a left atrial mass incidentally identified on a screening breast magnetic resonance imaging. Follow-up echocardiogram, computed tomography, and cardiac magnetic resonance confirmed the diagnosis of cardiac myxoma with thrombus formation.

The patient was asymptomatic; however, her family history of early onset breast cancer prompted vigilant screening, leading to incidental detection of the mass. Careful review by an observant radiologist facilitated early recognition and timely intervention.

As imaging becomes more widespread and sophisticated, multimodality training could allow for early identification and treatment of many significant findings such as this myxoma, preventing adverse outcomes.