Primary Cardiac Lymphoma: Diagnosis by Transvenous Biopsy Under Transesophageal Echocardiographic Guidance

Abstract

A 64-year-old woman presenting with dizziness and atrioventricular conduction disturbances was found to have a right atrial mass by two-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography. Transesophageal echocardiography allowed further delineation of the tumor and safe performance of transvenous biopsy, thereby obviating the need for surgery. Pathological examination of the biopsy specimen as well as the absence of extracardiac location established the diagnosis of primary cardiac lymphoma. (J Am Soc Echocardiogr 1998;11:89-91.)