An intriguing co-existence: atrial myxoma and cerebral cavernous malformations: case report and review of literature.

Abstract

It is commonly postulated that neurologic complications of atrial myxomas are due to either direct tumor embolization or mycotic aneurysm of cerebral vasculature or rupture of mycotic aneurysms of cerebral arteries. However, the authors report the case of 63-year-old woman with a large left atrial myxoma whose progressive left-sided weakness was due to a different neurologic mechanism, namely, multiple bleeding cavernous malformations, which were visualized by magnetic resonance imaging of the brain. Cerebral cavernous malformations coexist with mesenchymal anomalies of other organs, including the liver, kidneys, and retinas. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is only the second reported case of coexistent cerebral cavernous malformations and atrial myxoma.

• Authors: Shikha Sharma, Daniel Tsyvine, Pierre D Maldjian, Justin T Sambol, Constantinos J Lovoulos, Gal Levy, Amin Maghari, Marc Klapholz, Muhamed Saric
• Journal: Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography : official publication of the American Society of Echocardiography (J Am Soc Echocardiogr) Vol. 24 Issue 1 Pg. 110.e1-4 (Jan 2011) ISSN: 1097-6795 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 20650606 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article, Review)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2011 American Society of Echocardiography. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Topics

• Diagnostic Imaging
• Female
• Heart Atria
• Heart Neoplasms (complications, diagnosis)
• Hemangioma, Cavernous, Central Nervous System (complications, diagnosis)
• Humans
• Intracranial Arteriovenous Malformations (complications, diagnosis)
• Middle Aged
• Myxoma (complications, diagnosis)