CARDIAC MALIGNANT NON-HODGKINS-LYMPHOMA - A CASE-REPORT

Malignant non-Hodgkin's lymphomas are rare in the absence of human imm unodeficiency virus infection and it is exceptional for a cardiac site to be the prominent feature. In our case, the malignant lymphoma was revealed by pericardial effusion in a context of alteration of the gen eral state. Echocardiography revealed a heterogeneous mass in the righ t atrium and an abundant circumferential pericardial effusion. Thoraci c computed tomography allowed local staging and magnetic resonance ima ging (MRI) allowed a better definition, than GT scan, of the extension of the tumour into the various cardiac structures. The histological d iagnosis was established on biopsy of a mediastinal lymph node. The pa tient died 7 months after the diagnosis, despite chemotherapy. The aut hors emphasize the contribution of echocardiography in the diagnosis o f cardiac tumours, computed tomography in local staging, and MRI in th e analysis of the Various cardiac structures.