[Integrated echocardiography (transthoracic-transesophageal) in the differential diagnosis of left atrial myxoma. Description of three clinical cases]

Abstract

Myxomas are the most common of all primary cardiac tumors among adults; most of them originate from the left atrium in the area of the fossa ovalis. Although atrial myxomas are histologically and clinically benign tumors, they can rarely cause severe complications including embolization and sudden death caused by left ventricular outflow tract obstruction and coronary or cerebral embolization. Echocardiography (Transthoracic and transesophageal) has been considered as the procedure of choice for the diagnosis of atrial myxomas. We report 3 cases in which it has been echocardiographically observed at left intra-atrial mass with similar motion behavior and attachment site, where transesophageal echocardiography has been very important to correctly lead the differential diagnosis (between atrial myxoma and atrial thrombus).