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(Circulation. 1998;97:1423.)
© 1998 American Heart Association, Inc.

Images in Cardiovascular Medicine

Lipomatous Hypertrophy of the Atrial Septum

C. Basso, MD; R. Barbazza, MD; ; G. Thiene, MD

From the Department of Pathology, University of Padua Medical School (Italy).

Correspondence to Gaetano Thiene, Department of Pathology, University of Padua Medical School, Padua, Italy.

A 74-year-old woman with a history of lung tuberculosis, peptic ulcer, diabetes mellitus (type 2), and progressive deterioration of psychomotor activity died after admission to hospital for acute bronchitis.

A basal ECG showed sinus rhythm, heart rate of 88 bpm, and P-wave abnormalities consisting of amplitude >2.5 mm in lead II, duration >100 ms, and "notching" configuration.

Lipomatous hypertrophy of the atrial septum was found incidentally at autopsy, with a mass 3x2 cm in size.

In vitro nuclear magnetic resonance of a heart specimen showed (Fig 1a) a round mass of bright intensity similar to epicardial fat within the atrial septum, corresponding to the grossly evident lipomatous accumulation (Fig 1b).^{1 2}

At histological examination (Fig 1c), the nonencapsulated mass contained mature adipocytes with intermingled myocytes and mild interstitial fibrosis (Azan stain).

View larger version (93K): [in this window] [in a new window]   Figure 1.

Footnotes

The editor of Images in Cardiovascular Medicine is Hugh A. McAllister, Jr, MD, Chief, Department of Pathology, St Luke's Episcopal Hospital and Texas Heart Institute, and Clinical Professor of Pathology, University of Texas Medical School and Baylor College of Medicine.

Circulation encourages readers to submit cardiovascular images to Dr Hugh A. McAllister, Jr, St Luke's Episcopal Hospital and Texas Heart Institute, 6720 Bertner Ave, MC1-267, Houston, TX 77030.

References

1. Levine RA, Weyman AE, Dinsmore RE, Southern J, Rosen BR, Guyer DE, Brady TJ, Okada RD. Noninvasive tissue characterization: diagnosis of lipomatous hypertrophy of the atrial septum by nuclear magnetic resonance imaging. J Am Coll Cardiol. 1986;7:688-692.[Abstract]

2. Tuna IC, Julsrud PR, Click RL, Tazelaar HD, Bresnahan DR, Danielson GK. Tissue characterization of an unusual right atrial mass by magnetic resonance imaging. Mayo Clin Proc. 1991;66:498-501.[Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]

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