CHEMOTHERAPY-SENSITIVE MYOCARDIAL MALIGNA NT NON-HODGKINIAN-LYMPHOMA

Cardiac malignant non-hodgkinian lymphoma, which is usually asymptomat ic, is observed in 15 to 25 % of autopsy cases of this condition. The authors report an unusual case of myocardial lymphoma diagnosed during pulmonary oedema. Echocardiography showed left ventricular hypertroph y with increased echogenicity of the myocardial walls and marked decre ase in left ventricular ejection fraction. Myocardial biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of a high grade malignant lymphoma. The disease respond ed to chemotherapy. Early diagnosis of myocardial involvement of a lym phoma, presenting with non-specific electrocardiographic changes, requ ires investigation by histological study of a myocardial biopsy. This invasive technique is justified because of its therapeutic implication s.