Cardiac cavernous haemangioma

Abstract

Background: Cardiac haemangioma was first described in 1893. It is an infrequent and benign neoplasm which accounts for about 2.8% of all benign primary cardiac tumours, arising from the cardiac ventricles, valves, atria and rarely the epicardium.

Methods and results: We report the case of a 24-year-old woman with a cardiac haemangioma detected by transthoracic echocardiography, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging. The coronary CT showed a mass located in the pericardial cavity with close relationship to the myocardium. The mass surrounded completely the segments 2 and 3 of the left anterior descending coronary artery. At operation, the tumour was incompletely resected, leaving a remnant in the left anterior descending coronary artery contact, one diagonal branch has been sacrificed. Pathologic study diagnosed a cavernous haemangioma. Transthoracic echocardiography eight months later showed a remnant of haemangioma with a left ventricular ejection fraction estimated to 69%. The coronary CT 10 months after surgery showed the remnant of the tumour with normal cardiac cavities and absence of visualisation of the diagonal artery. The patient is currently asymptomatic and doing well 14 months after surgery.

Conclusions: Cardiac haemangioma is a rare cardiac tumour with an unknown aetiology. The diagnosis is aided by imaging techniques. The coronary CT may be useful when more precise evaluation of the tumour extent is required. It allows specifying the relationship of the mass with the coronary vessels. Successful treatment usually requires timely surgery. However, periodic examinations and echocardiography are recommended.