Canadian Association of Pathologists - Case of the Month, January 2007
53 year-old man with left arm weakness.
Contributed by Dr. Jagdish Butany and Dr. Mina Jamali, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario (jagdish.butany@uhn.on.ca).Virtual microscopy cases hosted by Objective Pathology Services, Toronto, Ontario.
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Clinical summary:
A 57 year old man presented with an episode of transient left arm weakness (attributed to a TIA), but was otherwise asymptomatic with no systemic signs. He had a transthoracic echocardiogram, which revealed a large mobile mass within the left atrium. He underwent surgical excision of the mass.
Gross examination:
The surgically excised tissue was comprised of a polypoidal piece of tissue measuring 3.4x3.0x2.0 cm with a 2.0-3.0 cm wide cuff of endocardium attached to the base of the soft, glistening, and focally hemorrhagic polypoid mass.
Microscopic description:
The neoplasm is composed of stellate or spindle shaped cells in a mucopolysaccharide-rich stroma. The cells have oval nuclei with a moderate amount of eosinophilic cytoplasm. The stroma also shows extensive recent and older hemorrhage with hemosiderin-filled macrophages.
H&E stain of cardiac specimen
Movat stain of cardiac specimen
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