Cardiac tumors risk factors for embolization

Tumor size, mobility, presence of mitral regurgitation and involvement of aortic valve are associated with high risk for embolization.

Cardiac tumors can cause systemic or pulmonary embolism. Neurological complications were observed in 12% of patients in a series involving 74 patients with atrial myxoma^[1]. In another series which included 323 patients with cardiac tumors, 9.7% of patients experienced stroke, 9.3% experienced transient ischemic attack and 6% of patients experienced ischemia or infarction of other organs including pulmonary embolism^[2].

Following risk factors for cardiac tumors causing embolization have been summarized based on the above mentioned studies:

• Left atrial tumors and tumors involving aortic valve are at greatest risk^[2].
• Patients with small tumors(<13.3 cm³) , minimal symptoms, with no evidence of mitral regurgitation are at high risk for embolism^[2].
• The mobility of the tumor is related to higher embolic potential than tumor size^[1].