A case report of a primary cardiac lymphoma causing superior vena cava obstruction: the value of multimodality imaging in the clinical workup

Abstract

Background This is a case report of a primary cardiac lymphoma with an unusual clinical presentation. We hereby illustrate the characteristic features of cardiac lymphomas by multimodality imaging and particularly cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) that can help reach a timely diagnosis non-invasively and guide treatment decisions. Case summary A 58-year-old woman, without significant past medical history, presented with a 3-week history of shortness of breath associated with facial and neck swelling. Transthoracic echocardiogram confirmed the presence of a cardiac mass in the right atrium. Cardiac magnetic resonance helped to characterize the mass, assess its haemodynamic significance and relation to cardiac structures, and reach a non-invasive diagnosis that was crucial for guiding treatment decisions and interventions. Discussion Cardiac masses have distinct imaging features that can help differentiate malignant from benign cardiac tumours. More specifically, primary cardiac lymphomas can be relatively easy diagnosed by CMR in most cases thanks to their characteristic imaging appearance.

Vanishing Cardiac Tumor by Chemotherapy in a Patient With Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma

“…Primary cardiac lymphomas are rare, accounting for approximately 1% of all primary cardiac tumors ( 1 ). In this case, the CMR features were more suggestive of a cardiac lymphoma than other malignant cardiac masses ( 2 ). CMR can be helpful for differentiating cardiac lymphomas from other forms of malignancies, but a definitive tissue diagnosis is still necessary.…”