RT Book, Section A1 Awtry, Eric H. A2 Jameson, J. Larry A2 Fauci, Anthony S. A2 Kasper, Dennis L. A2 Hauser, Stephen L. A2 Longo, Dan L. A2 Loscalzo, Joseph SR Print(0) ID 1155974669 T1 Atrial Myxoma and Other Cardiac Tumors T2 Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 20e YR 2018 FD 2018 PB McGraw-Hill Education PP New York, NY SN 9781259644016 LK accessmedicine.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1155974669 RD 2024/10/08 AB Cardiac tumors can be broadly classified into those that arise primarily in the heart and those that reflect metastatic disease from a distant primary source. Primary cardiac tumors can be further divided into those that are pathologically benign and those that are malignant. Overall, primary cardiac tumors are relatively uncommon, whereas secondary involvement of the heart or pericardium occurs in as many as 20% of patients with end-stage metastatic cancer. While patients with cardiac tumors may present with a variety of symptoms, many patients are asymptomatic at the time of diagnosis as the tumor may be identified incidentally on imaging studies performed for other reasons. Such findings need to be differentiated from other cardiac masses such as vegetation, thrombus, or myocardial hypertrophy. Echocardiography is usually the initial method of evaluation of cardiac tumors; however, a variety of imaging modalities are now available and a multimodality approach is often necessary for accurate diagnosis and clarification of treatment options (Table 266-1).