Images in cardiology: Transthoracic Doppler flow images detect cardiac angiosarcoma earlier than other imaging modalities.(Brief Article)

A 48 year old man visited our hospital because of fatigue. Transthoracic echocardiography demonstrated a capsulated mass in the pericardial space with pericardial effusion. Doppler flow velocity signal during diastole was detected, indicating epicardial left coronary artery running into the tumour (upper panel). This finding suggested that arteries were running from the coronary artery to feed the tumour, most likely an angiosarcoma. Thus, the patient was hospitalised immediately. Pericardial fluid containing blood was collected by pericardiocentesis but was cytologically negative for malignant cells. Enhanced computed tomography (CT) scan revealed a tumour measuring 14 x 10 …