title: Primary pericardial fibrosarcoma presenting as "near" cardiac tamponade.
abstract: A 19-year-old male presented with fever, substernal pain, dyspnea, and distended neck veins. Diagnostic investigations, such as echocardiography and magnetic resonance imaging, provided evidence of a large mass within the pericardial sac, attached by a broad base to the parietal pericardium and lying along the right ventricular free wall. A partial pericardiectomy was performed to relieve the patient's symptoms, and histologic examination of a biopsy specimen showed features of a malignant, spindle cell, mesenchymal neoplasm. The patient underwent surgical treatment during which the tumor was found to infiltrate the anterior surface of the right ventricle. Histologically, the tumor was identified as a high-grade fibrosarcoma, and additional chemotherapy was given.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Athens General Hospital, Greece. glazar@iname.com
authors.forename: Evangelos P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Matsakas
authors.forename: George A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Lazaros
authors.forename: Fotis K
authors.initials: FK
authors.lastname: Panou
authors.forename: Apostolos I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Karavidas
authors.forename: Elisavet P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Papalimberi
authors.forename: Ioannis D
authors.initials: ID
authors.lastname: Scotis
authors.forename: Apostolos A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Zacharoulis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002305:Cardiac Tamponade / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005354:Fibrosarcoma / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D006338:Heart Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010496:Pericardium / Q000473:pathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome