Primary cardiac lymphoma diagnosed by percutaneous intracardiac biopsy with combined fluoroscopic and transesophageal echocardiographic imaging

Primary cardiac tumors have very low prevalence with cardiac lymphoma, bein g one of the rarest forms. several recent reports have shown transesophagea l echocardiography to be an accurate technique for characterizing and local izing these neoplasms, with results comparable to CT and MRI scans. Transve nous intracardiac tumor biopsy has been employed as a minimally invasive te chnique to obtain tissue samples. The addition of transesophageal echocardi ographic (TEE) guidance to this process has increased the accuracy of obtai ning diagnostic specimens while improving patient safety. We review publish ed cases of this relatively new technique using combined fluoroscopic and T EE guidance and present a case of primary cardiac lymphoma diagnosed by thi s method. The patient achieved complete tumor remission after treatment wit h standard chemotherapy and remains fully functional 32 months after initia l diagnosis. (C) 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.