Korean Circ J.  1999 Aug;29(8):828-832. 10.4070/kcj.1999.29.8.828.

A Case Report of Primary Cardiac Lymphoma: Diagnosis by Transvenous Biopsy

• Chang HJ
• Kang S
• Rim SJ
• Choi D
• Goh CW
• Kim JY
• Ha JW
• Jang Y
• Chung N
• Shim WH
• Cho SY
• Roh JK
• Kim SK
• Cho SH

• KMID: 1545139
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4070/kcj.1999.29.8.828

Abstract

Primary cardiac lymphomas diagnosed antemortem are extremely rare. We present a case of primary cardiac lymphma diagnosed antemortem by transvenous biopsy under transesophageal echocardiographic guidance. The patient who was a 62 years old male presented with facial edema, dyspnea on exertion and syncope. The chest X-ray film showed double contour at right cardiac border and the ECG showed marked sinus bradycardia. Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE), chest computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed intracardiac tumor of right atrium, invasing interatrial septum and inlets of superior and inferior vena cava and lateral wall of right atrium. Abdominopelvic CT and bone scan failed to show any extracardiac location. Transvenous biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of malignant lymphoma (diffuse large cell, B cell type). After chemotherapy was begun, the tumor makedly shrunk and symptoms resolved. Primary cardiac lymphoma is extremely rare and almost uniformly fatal, but this case showed that early diagnosis and intensive che-motherapy might contribute to a better prognosis for patients with malignant lymphoma of the heart.

Keyword

Primary cardiac lymphoma; Transesophageal echocardiography; Chemotherapy

MeSH Terms

Bays
Biopsy*
Bradycardia
Diagnosis*
Drug Therapy
Dyspnea
Early Diagnosis
Echocardiography
Echocardiography, Transesophageal
Edema
Electrocardiography
Heart
Heart Atria
Humans
Lymphoma*
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Male
Middle Aged
Prognosis
Syncope
Thorax
Vena Cava, Inferior
X-Ray Film