[Rhabdomyosarcoma of the heart involving the left ventricle and left atrium]

A case of rhabdomyosarcoma of the left atrium and left ventricle demonstrated by echocardiography was reported. A 31-year-old man was admitted to our hospital for evaluation of recently developed exertional dyspnea. A holosystolic murmur and a protodiastolic sound were audible at the apex. A chest X-ray showed pulmonary congestion without cardiomegaly. The two-dimensional echocardiogram showed a dense stratified mass of echoes occupying the medial half of the left ventricular cavity, and a part of the abnormal mass of echoes was observed to move toward the left ventricular outflow tract during systole. Another small mass attached to the anterior mitral leaflet was also observed to prolapse partly into the left atrium during systole. The interatrial septum showed a thick and hard band of echo in the short-axis view. Right cardiac catheterization revealed pulmonary hypertension and the levogram of the pulmonary angiography showed left atrial and left ventricular filing defects. The repeated echocardiographic study showed the growth of the abnormal mass. The patient underwent operation, but he died of congestive heart failure thereafter. The necropsy diagnosis was rhabdomyosarcoma of the heart, involving the left atrium and left ventricle.