title: Left atrial invasion by lung carcinoma through a pulmonary vein.
abstract: We describe a rare case of small-cell lung carcinoma invading the left atrium through a pulmonary vein. Echocardiography was particularly useful in this case in assessing the intracavitary extension of the tumor and the outcome of therapy. Echocardiography is a low-cost, easy imaging tool, complementary to radiological techniques and useful in evaluating thoracic tumors involving the cardiovascular structures.
authors.affiliation: Servizio di Cardiologia, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico-National Cancer Institute, Aviano (PN), Italy. clestuzzi@cro.it
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lestuzzi
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Viel
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mimo
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Meneguzzo
mesh_terms: D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal / Q000379:methods; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006338:Heart Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D011667:Pulmonary Veins