Arne Gustafson

Left Atrial Myxoma Diagnosed By Ultrasound Cardiography

Since the diagnosis of the left atrial myxoma during life,l-2 and its first successful removal at operation3 several case reports and reviews on this tumor have been published. The most important factor in diagnosis of myxoma is awareness of the condition so that angiocardiography will be performed to confirm or refute the diagnosis.4 Cardiac tumors may mimick almost any cardiovascular disorder,5 especially mitral valve disease and bacterial endocarditis. As angiocardiography is not performed in all patients with mitral valve disease,6 atrial myxoma may still be found unexpectedly and may cause serious and even fatal complications at cardiac catheterization or at surgery.7-12 Ultrasound cardiography is an atraumatic method of special diagnostic value in mitral valve diEease.13-2o Edlerl3 found multiple echoes caused by a thrombus