title: Intimal sarcoma of the pulmonary artery: a differential diagnosis of chronic pulmonary thromboembolism.
abstract: Intimal sarcoma of the pulmonary artery is a rare and potentially lethal tumor, the diagnosis of which is difficult and therefore frequently delayed. The clinical signs and symptoms are nonspecific, often mimicking chronic pulmonary thromboembolism (CPTE). We report the case of a 45-year-old male under treatment for CPTE associated with pulmonary arterial hypertension and chronic cor pulmonale. There was no response to treatment with anticoagulants and sildenafil. We emphasize the difficulties in diagnosing intimal sarcoma of the pulmonary artery, the need to investigate this neoplasm in the differential diagnosis of CPTE and the systematic use of criteria for the appropriate prescription of new medications for pulmonary artery hypertension.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Pesquisa e Pós-Graduação, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil. anapaulaab@yahoo.com.br
authors.forename: Ana Paula Alves Valle
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Dornas
authors.forename: Frederico Thadeu Assis Figueiredo
authors.initials: FT
authors.lastname: Campos
authors.forename: Cláudia Juliana
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Rezende
authors.forename: Carlos Alberto
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.forename: Nilson Figueiredo
authors.initials: NF
authors.lastname: Amaral
authors.forename: Ricardo de Amorim
authors.initials: Rde A
authors.lastname: Corrêa
mesh_terms: D002908:Chronic Disease; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011651:Pulmonary Artery; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000175:diagnosis*; D017539:Tunica Intima; D019043:Vascular Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*