Utility of cardiac CT and MRI for the diagnosis and preoperative assessment of cardiac paraganglioma.

BACKGROUND: Cardiac paragangliomas are rare cardiac tumors that are usually benign. Surgical excision can be curative. METHODS: We report a case of 39-year-old male who, during the work up of acute coronary syndrome with coronary angiography, cardiac computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), was found to have cardiac paraganglioma. RESULTS: The tumor was intrapericardial, arising at the level of proximal left anterior descending artery. The tumor was completely resected and the postoperative course was uneventful. At 3-months follow-up the patient was asymptomatic with normal ventricular function. CONCLUSION: Cardiac CT and MRI are valuable in characterizing and preoperative planning of primary cardiac paragangliomas.