Cardiac Tamponade Caused by a Large Lymphoma Involving the Pericardium and the Right Heart Chambers

Andrea Rognoni,Chiara Cavallino,Alessandro Lupi

doi:10.4172/2165-7548.1000105

Abstract

We report a case of a cardiac tamponade, presenting with dispnea, caused by a giant mediastinal mass with invasion of pericardium and right heart chambers. The heart is frequently the site of metastases of various malignant tumors. Most cases are clinically silent and are undiagnosed in vivo. Primary cardiac neoplasms are rare and occur less commonly than metastatic disease. Cardiac tamponade is a frequent consequence of cardiac involvement of mediastinal neoplasms. Unfortunately in the setting of mediastinal malignant mass and of cardiac metastatic cancer all management is palliative due to the usual presentation at a late stage of the disease.

Highlights

The frequency of cardiac metastasis in autopsy reports is about 25%, cardiac involvement in patient’s metastatic tumor disease is underestimated [1]
We report a case of a large mediastinic lymphoma involving the pericardium and the right chambers of the heart
The patient underwent a positron emission tomography (PET) that showed a pathological store of marker (18F-FDG) at heart level, mainly on right chambers, compatible with aggressive/malignant lymphoma (Figure 2)

Summary

Introduction

The frequency of cardiac metastasis in autopsy reports is about 25%, cardiac involvement in patient’s metastatic tumor disease is underestimated [1]. We report a case of a large mediastinic lymphoma involving the pericardium and the right chambers of the heart. A transthoracic echocardiogram showed a normally contracting left ventricle; the pericardial space was filled with fluid causing echocardiographic signs of cardiac tamponade (Figure 1a).

Results

Conclusion