Pulmonary embolism due to the right atrial thrombus mymicking atrial myxoma

Detection of a cardiac mass has a direct therapeutic implication because of its potential for pulmonary or systemic embolization. The choice of treatment is dependent upon the time of the embolization, clinical presentation and type of embolic mass. Imaging features in combination with clinical and laboratory findings are usually helpful in the differentiation of various cardiac masses with high probability. The case we are presenting is a 73-year-old man with occlusion of both pulmonary arteries and a right atrial thrombus initially diagnosed as a myxoma. Although the incidence of cardiac mass is relatively low, its detection has direct therapeutic implications, especially because of its potential for pulmonary or systemic embolization.1 Characteristic imaging features, clinical and laboratory findings are usually helpful in the preoperative differential diagnosis of cardiac masses with a high probability.(1-3) However, in cases of uncertain imaging presentation, coincidental clinical and laboratory findings may cause misdiagnosis.(4-6)