[Malignant primary tumors of the heart]

Primary tumors of the heart are rare, and a quarter of these tumors prove to be histologically malignant. Benign and malignant primary as well as secondary heart tumors belong to the differential diagnosis when a new heart murmur, heart rhythm disturbances, or cardiac insufficiency appear. In the diagnostics of intracardiac space-occupying lesions, two-dimensional echocardiography represents the method of choice, supplemental examination by computer tomography or nuclear magnetic resonance imaging may be helpful.