Coronary angiography in atrial myxoma: findings in nine cases

Abstract

We report the findings on selective coronary angiography in nine patients with atrial myxomas. The angiograms were obtained because the patients were suspected of having coronary artery disease. In each case, the diagnosis of myxoma had been made earlier by echocardiography. Coronary angiography in five (55%) of the nine patients showed neovascularity in the tumor without calcification. In one patient, the angiogram showed a varix of the myocardium at the base of the tumor. The angiograms in three (33%) of the nine patients did not show neovascularity but showed tumoral calcification. Six (67%) of the nine patients had significant coronary artery disease that required coronary artery bypass grafting along with resection of the myxoma. These data suggest that the incidence of neovascularity in atrial myxomas is higher than previously reported. Furthermore, a significant number of this older population presented with operable artery disease as well as atrial myxoma.