The Role of Echocardiography in the Diagnosis of Cardiac Involvement in a Rare Systemic Condition: The Carcinoid Heart Disease: A Case Report and Review of Literature
Adela Șerban,
Alexandra Dădârlat-Pop,
Raluca Tomoaia,
Claudia Hagiu,
Dan Axente,
Valer Donca,
Mihai Suceveanu
Affiliations
Adela Șerban
Cardiology Department, Heart Institute Niculae Stăncioiu, 19-21 Motilor Street, 400001 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Alexandra Dădârlat-Pop
Cardiology Department, Heart Institute Niculae Stăncioiu, 19-21 Motilor Street, 400001 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Raluca Tomoaia
5th Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Iuliu Haţieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 8 Victor Babes Street, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Claudia Hagiu
3rd Medical Department, “Iuliu Hatieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400347 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Dan Axente
Cluj-Napoca Municipal Clinical Hospital, 400139 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Valer Donca
Cluj-Napoca Municipal Clinical Hospital, 400139 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Mihai Suceveanu
Cardiology Department, Heart Institute Niculae Stăncioiu, 19-21 Motilor Street, 400001 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Carcinoid heart disease is a rare presentation of the carcinoid syndrome, which is caused by excessive tumoral hormone production and the abundant release of vasoactive substances with systemic expressions. A 62-year-old woman presented with flushing, diarrhea, weight loss, and right-sided heart failure symptoms. Specific carcinoid heart disease features were identified using transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography at the tricuspid and pulmonic valves. Biomarkers, 99mTc-Tektrotyd scintigraphy, SPECT-CT, and a biopsy later confirmed the diagnosis, and the patient began treatment for the underlying condition.
