Qun-Yan Xiang1,2,3,4, Jin Xu1,2,3,4, Ling Liu5,6,7,8. 1. Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, People's Republic of China. 2. Research Institute of Blood Lipid and Atherosclerosis, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, People's Republic of China. 3. Modern Cardiovascular Disease Clinical Technology Research Center of Hunan Province, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, People's Republic of China. 4. Cardiovascular Disease Research Center of Hunan Province, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, People's Republic of China. 5. Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, People's Republic of China. feliuling@csu.edu.cn. 6. Research Institute of Blood Lipid and Atherosclerosis, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, People's Republic of China. feliuling@csu.edu.cn. 7. Modern Cardiovascular Disease Clinical Technology Research Center of Hunan Province, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, People's Republic of China. feliuling@csu.edu.cn. 8. Cardiovascular Disease Research Center of Hunan Province, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, People's Republic of China. feliuling@csu.edu.cn.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Thymic carcinoid is one of an extremely rare type of malignant neuroendocrine tumor with a poor prognosis. Invasion of thymic carcinoid to other organs could lead to devastating consequences. It has been reported that thymic carcinoid mainly invaded to the pleura, lungs, liver, pancreas and bone, while rarely to the cardiac, especially to the ventricle. CASE PRESENTATION: A 53-year-old man presented with gastrointestinal symptoms and persistent pericardial effusion. Multiple imaging tools, including chest computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/CT (18F-FDG PET/CT) showed a malignant neoplasm arising from the thymus invading into the biventricular myocardium, pericardium, and left superior pulmonary veins. The tumor was finally diagnosed as a thymic carcinoid through pathological examination. CONCLUSION: This is a rare case of thymic carcinoid invading the ventricular myocardium, which presented as subacute heart failure. The observations in this case would be useful for differential diagnosis of primary heart disease and invasion of heart due to thymic carcinoid.
BACKGROUND: Thymic carcinoid is one of an extremely rare type of malignant neuroendocrine tumor with a poor prognosis. Invasion of thymic carcinoid to other organs could lead to devastating consequences. It has been reported that thymic carcinoid mainly invaded to the pleura, lungs, liver, pancreas and bone, while rarely to the cardiac, especially to the ventricle. CASE PRESENTATION: A 53-year-old man presented with gastrointestinal symptoms and persistent pericardial effusion. Multiple imaging tools, including chest computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/CT (18F-FDG PET/CT) showed a malignant neoplasm arising from the thymus invading into the biventricular myocardium, pericardium, and left superior pulmonary veins. The tumor was finally diagnosed as a thymic carcinoid through pathological examination. CONCLUSION: This is a rare case of thymic carcinoid invading the ventricular myocardium, which presented as subacute heart failure. The observations in this case would be useful for differential diagnosis of primary heart disease and invasion of heart due to thymic carcinoid.
Authors: James C Yao; Manal Hassan; Alexandria Phan; Cecile Dagohoy; Colleen Leary; Jeannette E Mares; Eddie K Abdalla; Jason B Fleming; Jean-Nicolas Vauthey; Asif Rashid; Douglas B Evans Journal: J Clin Oncol Date: 2008-06-20 Impact factor: 44.544