Calcification of matrix vesicles in cardiac myxoma.

The mechanism of calcification in cardiac myxoma, using histologic, ultrastructural and potassium pyroantimonate technique was demonstrated. There are a large number of extracellular membrane-invested structure measuring 100-700 millimicrons in cardiac myxoma. These structures are similar to the matrix vesicles observed in skeletal tissue and atherosclerotic foci. Potassium pyroantimonate reacts with these vesicular structures and degenerated myxoma cells. It was thought that calcification in cardiac myxoma occurs by the same mechanism as calcification in atherosclerosis.