Key result
Surgical removal of a suspected left atrial myxoma confirms a papillary fibroelastoma.
Why the study?
Papillary fibroelastomas in unusual locations can mimic cardiac myxomas clinically and radiographically, highlighting the need to consider them in the differential diagnosis of atrial masses.
Case Report (n=1)
Papillary fibroelastomas can present in unusual locations such as the left atrium and mimic cardiac myxomas, highlighting the need for histopathologic examination for definitive diagnosis.
Supports histopathology for ambiguous left atrial masses; leaves open refinement of noninvasive diagnostic criteria.
Papillary fibroelastomas (PFEs) followed by cardiac myxomas (CM) are the 2 most common primary benign cardiac tumors. Although typically asymptomatic, they can manifest with nonspecific symptoms such as dyspnea and dizziness or more acute manifestations such as embolic events. We describe an unusual location of a PFE typically seen with a CM. A 66-year-old woman presented with shortness of breath and dizziness. An echocardiogram revealed a left atrial mass suggestive of a CM, which was surgically removed. Histopathologic examination surprisingly confirmed it to be a PFE. This case highlights the importance of considering PFEs in the differential diagnosis of atrial masses because they can mimic CM clinically and radiographically, thus emphasizing the role of histopathologic examination for definitive diagnosis.
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Aboukhatwa et al. (2025) conducted a case report in Left atrial papillary fibroelastoma (n=1). Surgical removal was evaluated on Histopathologic diagnosis. Surgical removal and histopathologic examination of a left atrial mass suggestive of a cardiac myxoma in a 66-year-old woman confirmed it to be a papillary fibroelastoma.
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