Malignant hemangioendothelioma presenting as multifocal intraskeletal lesions during pregnancy. A case report.
BACKGROUND
Malignant hemangioendothelioma is a neoplasm of vascular origin characterized by irregular vascular channels lined with atypical endothelial cells.


METHODS
A gravida at 32 weeks' gestation presented with diffuse back and lower leg pain and was diagnosed with multifocal malignant hemangioendothelioma of bone. Computed tomography of the chest also demonstrated a small right atrial density. Three weeks later the patient became septic, and cesarean section was performed. After several cycles of chemotherapy, clinical improvement was noted. However, disease progression was noted thereafter, and the patient died one and a half years after the diagnosis.


CONCLUSIONS
Our case was a primary multifocal malignant hemangioendothelioma of bone arising during pregnancy. Considering the absence of pulmonary involvement, it is unlikely that the skeletal lesions represented metastatic deposits from a cardiac primary. With such extensive skeletal disease, the right atrial density probably was a metastatic deposit.
Ilasi
J A
JA
Department of Laboratories, North Shore University Hospital, Manhasset, NY 11030, USA.
Smilari
T F
TF
Kolitz
J
J
Zanzi
I
I
Hajdu
S I
SI
D000328:Adult; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006325:Heart Atria; D006338:Heart Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000556:secondary*; D006390:Hemangioendothelioma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000556:secondary*; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011252:Pregnancy Complications, Neoplastic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging