CARDIAC MYXOMA - IDENTIFICATION OF INTRATUMORAL HEMORRHAGE AND CALCIFICATION ON MR-IMAGES

Myxoma is the most common benign cardiac neoplasm. Echocardiography, e specially with a transesophageal approach (transesophageal echocardiog raphy [TEE]), is accurate in locating cardiac tumors and in revealing their cystic components [1, 2]. Additionally, MR imaging provides info rmation about the internal structures of these tumors, such as hemorrh age and other components [3]. In some cases, a diagnosis can be made f rom the location, shape, and number of the tumors. Determination of th e internal components of the tumor may increase the specificity of a d iagnosis. We report a case in which a left atrial myxoma was detected by TEE; however, the technique failed to show the internal features of the tumor, which were visible on MR imaging.