Clinical features of a cardiac fibroma:
(1) The tumor often presents in pediatric patients.
(2) The tumor is usually located in the interventricular septum.
(3) The tumor may interfere with the conduction system, resulting in cardiac arrhythmia or cardiac arrest.
(4) The mass can interfere with blood flow if large.
Pathologic features
(1) The tumor may measure up to 10 cm in diameter.
(2) The tumor is firm, grey-white and sharply demarcated.
(3) The tumor may show multiple foci of dystrophic calcification.
(4) The histologic appearance shows a benign proliferation of spindle cells.
Differential diagnosis: other cardiac tumors
A tumor that is clinically significant can either be resected (if small) or may require a cardiac transplantation (if unresectable). An asymptomatic fibroma not involving the interventricular septum may be low risk.
