Multimodality imaging evaluation of a primary cardiac lymphoma

Abstract

Primary cardiac lymphoma is a rare form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma that involves the heart with extension to pericardium and great vessels. Prognosis is poor in the absence of a prompt diagnosis and adequate therapy. Differential diagnosis includes malignant neoplasms such as angiosarcoma or metastatic carcinoma and melanoma. Clinical manifestations may be heterogeneous. Multimodality imaging work-up represents the best method for tumor detection and evaluation of its size and extension: echocardiography, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and nuclear imaging are the best imaging tools. Definitive diagnosis is achieved with cytological and histological evaluation. We report the case of a 76-year-old woman admitted to our emergency department with symptoms of congestive heart failure. Multimodality imaging work-up showed a mediastinal bulky tumor involving heart and pericardium. Pathology revealed a large B-cell primary cardiac lymphoma.

Keywords

• Cardiovascular imaging
• CT
• MRI
• Primary cardiac lymphoma
• PETCT