Key result
Transcatheter echo-guided biopsy successfully diagnoses a rare RV myxoma masquerading as PE, enabling full recovery.
Why the study?
Primary cardiac tumors, especially right ventricle myxomas, are rare in pediatric patients and can mimic other intracardiac masses such as thrombus, complicating diagnosis.
Case Report (n=1)
Highlights the importance of multimodality imaging and biopsy in diagnosing rare pediatric intracardiac myxomas that can masquerade as thrombi.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Transcatheter echo-guided biopsy may aid RV myxoma diagnosis in adolescents presenting with embolism; leaves open validation in larger pediatric cohorts.
BACKGROUND: Primary cardiac tumors are uncommon in pediatric patients, particularly myxomas. Right ventricle (RV) myxomas can lead to life-threatening sequelae such as pulmonary embolism. CASE SUMMARY: A teenage patient presented with chest pain, was initially diagnosed with pulmonary emboli, and ultimately diagnosed with RV myxoma after transcatheter echocardiographic-guided biopsy of the intracardiac mass. The myxoma was surgically resected, and the patient fully recovered. DISCUSSION: Intracardiac myxomas are unusual in pediatric patients, particularly myxomas arising from the RV. Prior reports of RV myxoma associated with distal pulmonary emboli in children have been fatal or associated with Carney complex. In unusual cases, transcatheter biopsy can confirm the diagnosis. TAKE-HOME MESSAGES: A high degree of suspicion is required to diagnose pediatric myxoma, particularly when it resembles other intracardiac masses, such as thrombus. Additionally, multimodality imaging and biopsy may help to establish a definitive diagnosis before surgical resection.
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Rao et al. (2025) conducted a case report in Right ventricle myxoma (n=1). Transcatheter echocardiographic-guided biopsy and surgical resection was evaluated on Patient recovery. Transcatheter echocardiographic-guided biopsy successfully diagnosed a rare right ventricle myxoma masquerading as a pulmonary embolism in a teenage patient, leading to surgical resection and full recovery.
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