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Case Reports
. 2010 Jan 23;3(1):24-29.
doi: 10.1159/000273112.

Primary Cardiac Angiosarcoma in a Young Woman

Aldo Pezzuto  1 , Giorgia Gencarelli, Loredana Martone, Pierdonato Bruno, Salvatore Mariotta
Affiliations
Case Reports

Primary Cardiac Angiosarcoma in a Young Woman

Aldo Pezzuto et al. Case Rep Oncol. .

Abstract

A 30-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with severe shortness of breath. A transthoracic echocardiogram showed moderate pericardial effusion with a lesion in the right atrium, confirmed by chest CT scan and cardiac RMN. Pleural and middle lobe involvement occurred within one month. Middle lobe biopsy was performed and pathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of metastatic angiosarcoma. After two months, because of recurrent pleural effusions, chemical pleurodesis was performed. Chemotherapy was started but the patient died four months after the diagnosis. This case highlights the misdiagnosis at initial clinical presentation, available diagnostic approaches and therapeutic options for cardiac angiosarcoma.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
CT scan during the first presentation (January 2008) revealed an abundant pericardial effusion with thickness of the left pericardium.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Two months after admission (March 2008), CT scan showed no pericardial effusion but bilateral lung metastasis with pleural effusion.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Chest X-ray in May 2008 revealed bilateral pleural effusion, treated with drainage.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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