Key result
Left atrial myxoma demonstrates rapid growth within 8 months of a previously normal echocardiogram.
Why the study?
Rapid growth of left atrial myxoma and its echocardiographic detection over time is not well documented.
This case demonstrates that left atrial myxomas can grow rapidly, reaching significant size (6 x 4 cm) within 8 months.
Alerts clinicians to consider myxoma with new dyspnoea post-negative echo; leaves open true incidence and growth kinetics.
Rapid growth of a left atrial myxoma was demonstrated in a patient who showed no echocardiographic evidence of the tumour when he was admitted for coronary artery bypass grafting. Eight months later he complained of dyspnoea and fatigue, and cross sectional echocardiography showed a 6 x 4 cm left atrial myxoma. This was removed and the diagnosis was confirmed by histological examination.
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Roudaut et al. (1987) studied this question. A left atrial myxoma demonstrated rapid growth, reaching 6 x 4 cm within eight months of a previously normal echocardiogram.