Pedunculated Left Atrial Rhabdomyosarcoma Simulating a Prolapsing Myxoma: Limitations of Echocardiography

Abstract

The advent of M-mode and two-dimensional echocardiography has meant a revolution in the diagnosis of intracardiac myxomas. However, limitations remain since an array of primary or secondary intracardiac neoplasms may simulate the clinical and échocardiographie picture of a myxoma. The subject is reviewed reporting a rare case of a pedunculated, prolapsing left atrial rhabdomyosarcoma mistakenly diagnosed as a left atrial myxoma with systemic manifestations. The development of échocardiographie imaging technology with further improved resolution and/or tissue-characterizing ability or use of supplementary imaging (MR scanning, CT scanning) is necessary in order to identify these rare malignant cases preoperatively among apparent myxomas and to delineate tumor infiltration with respect to radical treatment.