Intracardiac mass presenting as acute myocardial infarction

Rom J Morphol Embryol. 2023 Oct-Dec;64(4):579-585. doi: 10.47162/RJME.64.4.15.

Abstract

Cardiac tumors, although rare, present intricate diagnostic and therapeutic challenges, necessitating timely intervention for optimal patient outcomes. This case report focuses on a 65-year-old woman admitted with chest pain and loss of consciousness, ultimately diagnosed with a left ventricular cardiac myxoma. The patient's presentation mimicked acute coronary syndrome, highlighting the diagnostic complexity associated with cardiac tumors. Advanced imaging modalities, including transthoracic echocardiography, computed tomography, and invasive coronary angiography, played a pivotal role in characterizing the intracardiac mass. Histopathological (HP) examination, utilizing immunohistochemistry, confirmed the tumor as a cardiac myxoma. The patient management involved a multidisciplinary approach, leading to surgical resection of the mass and mitral valve replacement. The case underscores the importance of the HP confirmation in patients with cardiac masses, especially when multimodality cardiac imaging suggests various tumor types, simultaneously emphasizing the need for a comprehensive diagnostic approach that includes advanced imaging and histopathology to ensure an accurate diagnosis and tailored management of cardiac tumors.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Coronary Angiography
  • Echocardiography
  • Female
  • Heart Neoplasms* / diagnosis
  • Humans
  • Myocardial Infarction* / diagnostic imaging
  • Myxoma* / diagnosis