Pictorial review of cardiac sarcomas and their mimickers

Luba Frank,Jadranka Stojanovska

doi:10.1186/1470-7330-14-s1-p36

Abstract

This review aims to present imaging characteristics of cardiac sarcomas, their most important mimickers and benign differential diagnoses in order to avoid potential pitfalls, guide to achieve proper diagnosis, leading to timely and appropriate treatment.

Highlights

Cardiac sarcoma remains one of the most aggressive primary cardiac tumours, which can arise from different cardiac chambers and demonstrate various features, depending on differentiation and histologic composition
Summary This review aims to present imaging characteristics of cardiac sarcomas, their most important mimickers and benign differential diagnoses in order to avoid potential pitfalls, guide to achieve proper diagnosis, leading to timely and appropriate treatment
ConclusionThis review aims to present imaging characteristics of cardiac sarcomas, their most important mimickers and benign differential diagnoses in order to avoid potential pitfalls, guide to achieve proper diagnosis, leading to timely and appropriate treatment.Published: 9 October 2014 doi:10.1186/1470-7330-14-S1-P36 Cite this article as: Frank and Stojanovska: Pictorial review of cardiac sarcomas and their mimickers

Summary

Introduction

Cardiac sarcoma remains one of the most aggressive primary cardiac tumours, which can arise from different cardiac chambers and demonstrate various features, depending on differentiation and histologic composition. In many cases the diagnosis is difficult, and consequences of incorrect diagnosis are too harmful. We will present different types of cardiac sarcomas and their imaging features by MRI and CT in selected cases. We will show and discuss features of sarcomas like conditions, presenting diagnostic challenge, such as pulmonary artery thrombus mimicking angiosarcoma, fibrosing mediastinitis, infiltrative primary cardiac lymphoma, benign tumours, and thrombi

Objectives

Conclusion