title: Multimodality imaging evaluation of a primary cardiac lymphoma.
abstract: Primary cardiac lymphoma is a rare form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma that involves the heart with extension to pericardium and great vessels. Prognosis is poor in the absence of a prompt diagnosis and adequate therapy. Differential diagnosis includes malignant neoplasms such as angiosarcoma or metastatic carcinoma and melanoma. Clinical manifestations may be heterogeneous. Multimodality imaging work-up represents the best method for tumor detection and evaluation of its size and extension: echocardiography, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and nuclear imaging are the best imaging tools. Definitive diagnosis is achieved with cytological and histological evaluation. We report the case of a 76-year-old woman admitted to our emergency department with symptoms of congestive heart failure. Multimodality imaging work-up showed a mediastinal bulky tumor involving heart and pericardium. Pathology revealed a large B-cell primary cardiac lymphoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Interventional Radiology, Molecular Imaging and Radiotherapy, University of Tor Vergata, Rome, aItaly.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ciancarella
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Interventional Radiology, Molecular Imaging and Radiotherapy, University of Tor Vergata, Rome, aItaly.
authors.forename: Armando
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fusco
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Interventional Radiology, Molecular Imaging and Radiotherapy, University of Tor Vergata, Rome, aItaly.
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Citraro
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Interventional Radiology, Molecular Imaging and Radiotherapy, University of Tor Vergata, Rome, aItaly.
authors.forename: Massimiliano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sperandio
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Interventional Radiology, Molecular Imaging and Radiotherapy, University of Tor Vergata, Rome, aItaly.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Floris
keywords: CT; Cardiovascular imaging; MRI; PETCT; Primary cardiac lymphoma