Heart tumors: Diagnosis and treatment

Cardiac tumors are tumors that develop from various elements of the endocardium, myocardium and pericardium. Metastases have a higher incidence than primary tumors. As far as primary tumours are concerned, myxoma is the most frequent tumour in the cavitary region, unlike in the valvular region, where fibroelastoma predominates. Clinical symptoms are polymorphic. It depends more on the location of the tumour than on its size. A large tumor infiltrating the cardiac muscle may be clinically asymptomatic, whereas a small tumor located in the valvular endocardium may impede blood flow and have a noisy clinical expression. Diagnosis of these tumors is currently facilitated by non-invasive imaging techniques, in particular echocardiography. The development of cardiac excision and reconstruction surgery has transformed this pathology into a curable condition.

Autorentext

Hèla Ben JmaàChirurgo cardiovascolare.Docente presso la Facoltà di Medicina di Sfax, Tunisia.