CARDIAC ANGIOMYOLIPOMA - RADIOLOGIC AND PATHOLOGICAL CORRELATION

Primary tumors of the heart are rare. We report a case of large cardia c angiomyolipoma (hamartoma) that presented as a fat-containing tumor mass on imaging studies, diagnosed radiographically as teratoma. The p atient was admitted through the emergency room at Tainan Municipal Hos pital because of severe dyspnea. A chest radiograph revealed marked wi dening of the mediastinum. Echocardiography and computed tomographic s canning of the thorax showed a mass of mixed density with calcificatio n. A teratoma with intrapericardial invasion was suspected. Sternotomy disclosed a large intrapericardial lobulated mass (34 x 30 x 12 cm, 3 ,150 g) arising from the right atrium, with severe adhesion to the ori gin of the inferior vena cava. Histopathologic examination demonstrate d an angiomyolipoma of the heart. To our knowledge, this is the larges t cardiac angiomyolipoma reported. We report this case to emphasize th at a differential diagnosis of angiomyolipoma must be included in a pa tient with a fat-containing cardiac tumor.