ABSTRACT
Malignant non-Hodgkin's lymphoma rarely involves the heart. However, all cardiac structures may be invaded, although the myocardium and pericardium are affected more often than the valvular structures. Diagnosis is important because treatment must be adapted. The cardiac signs are usually non-specific and lymphomas presenting in this way have only occasionally been reported. The authors report two cases in which malignant non-Hodgkin's lymphoma presented with cardiac tamponade.
Subject(s)
Cardiac Tamponade/etiology , Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin/complications , Adult , Cardiac Tamponade/diagnostic imaging , Cardiac Tamponade/pathology , Diagnosis, Differential , Echocardiography , Humans , Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin/diagnosis , Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin/pathology , Male , Tomography, X-Ray ComputedABSTRACT
The authors report a rare case of multiple mediastinal hydatid cysts which ruptured in a 48 year old man who presented with a pericardial effusion. The diagnosis was confirmed by 2D echocardiography, completed by CT scan and magnetic resonance imaging. The patient was operated as a semi-emergency and the outcome was good. This case underlines the rare pericardial involvement and the severity of the complications of cardiac hydatid disease.
Subject(s)
Echinococcosis/pathology , Heart Diseases/parasitology , Pericardial Effusion/etiology , Diagnosis, Differential , Echinococcosis/complications , Echinococcosis/surgery , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Pericardial Effusion/parasitologyABSTRACT
Cardiac involvement is rare in Behçet's disease. Endomyocardial fibrosis of the right heart is exceptionally rare and is associated with right ventricular thrombosis. The authors report the case of a 27 year old man who died of a massive pulmonary embolism and who suffered from right-sided endomyocardial fibrosis with intraventricular thrombi. The diagnosis was made at autopsy. Behçet's disease was diagnosed on the finding of bipolar aphthous ulcers and skin hypersensitivity. The authors support previous workers in stating that Behçet's disease should be considered as a possible cause of endomyocardial fibrosis of the right heart.
Subject(s)
Behcet Syndrome/complications , Endomyocardial Fibrosis/etiology , Ventricular Dysfunction, Right/etiology , Adult , Endomyocardial Fibrosis/complications , Endomyocardial Fibrosis/diagnosis , Endomyocardial Fibrosis/therapy , Fatal Outcome , Humans , Male , Pulmonary Embolism/etiology , Pulmonary Embolism/mortality , Thrombosis/diagnosis , Thrombosis/etiology , Ventricular Dysfunction, Right/complicationsABSTRACT
Cardiac tamponade secondary to systemic lupus erythematosus is rare and has a very serious prognosis. The authors report a case of cardiac tamponade confirmed by echocardiography, which constituted the presenting sign of systemic lupus erythematosus in a 20-year-old patient, who required emergency pericardial aspiration. The diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus was established on the basis of the combination of pericardial involvement, non-erosive arthritis, leukopenia with lymphopenia, presence of LE cells and anti-native DNA antibodies and positive antinuclear antibody titre of 1/2560. The clinical course was favourable in response to 3 months of corticosteroid treatment. The possibility of SLE should be considered in any case of cardiac tamponade in a young patient in which the aetiology is not explained.
