Project description:Cardiac paragangliomas (PGLs) are rare extra-adrenal tumors that arise from chromaffin cells of the sympathetic ganglia. PGLs are often diagnosed incidentally, in the absence of symptoms, or with symptoms related to cardiovascular dysfunction. Cardiac computed tomography (CCT) and cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) can be used to accurately determine the lesion morphology and position as well as providing detailed tissue characterization. A multimodal imaging approach, not yet standardized, could be useful either in diagnosis and monitoring or in treatment planning. In the case reported here, CCT and CMR were performed to define lesion anatomy, and a reconstruction was generated using cinematic rendering (CR) to characterize the PGL angioarchitecture.
Project description:Background Cardiac sarcoidosis is a chronic, inflammatory disease that can affect the heart and often results in heart failure and lethal arrhythmias. A multimodality imaging approach without endomyocardial biopsy allows for the diagnosis of isolated cardiac sarcoidosis. Coronary vasomotion abnormalities are highly prevalent in various cardiovascular and inflammatory diseases. It remains unknown whether active myocardial inflammation due to cardiac sarcoidosis is associated with coronary vasomotion abnormalities.Case summary A 68-year-old man without a past medical history experienced an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest due to ventricular fibrillation and was successfully resuscitated without neurologic sequelae. Coronary angiography showed normal coronary arteries; however, intracoronary acetylcholine provocation testing demonstrated both epicardial coronary and coronary microvascular spasm. He was diagnosed with isolated cardiac sarcoidosis by fulfilling the diagnostic criteria proposed by the Japanese Circulation Society 2016 diagnostic guidelines, including fatal ventricular arrhythmia, focal left ventricular wall asynergy, increased myocardial fluorodeoxyglucose uptake by positron emission tomography, and late gadolinium enhancement by cardiac magnetic resonance in the heart. He was treated with calcium-channel blocker for coronary artery spasm and prednisolone for cardiac sarcoidosis and underwent implantation of an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator for secondary prevention. Following the treatment, the severity of coronary artery spasm was reduced along with regression of the myocardial inflammation.Discussion Epicardial coronary artery and coronary microvascular spasm can be accompanied by active myocardial inflammation of isolated cardiac sarcoidosis, and the treatment with corticosteroid and calcium-channel blocker may be effective for relieving the severity of coronary artery spasm in association with regression of myocardial inflammation of the disease.
Project description:BackgroundPrimary cardiac lymphoma (PCL) is rare and can present with a wide variety of clinical symptoms, frequently leading to a delay in diagnosis.Case summaryWe report a case of a PCL in an 81-year-old man. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging showed multiple masses in the right atrium and a mass in the right ventricular outflow tract extending to the pulmonary artery. Biopsy revealed a diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. The patient also had metastases to the liver and lung on the positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) scan. He was treated with R-CHOP chemotherapy, with complete remission documented PET-CT scans.ConclusionAlthough most patients with PCL die before chemotherapy can be initiated, a timely diagnosis can result in a favourable outcome.
Project description:BackgroundDiagnostic guidelines for isolated cardiac sarcoidosis (iCS) were first proposed in 2016, but there are few reports on the imaging and prognosis of iCS. This study aimed to evaluate the use of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG PET/CT) imaging in predicting iCS prognosis.Methods and resultsWe retrospectively reviewed the clinical and imaging data of 306 consecutive patients with suspected CS who underwent FDG PET/CT with a dedicated preparation protocol and included 82 patients (55 with systemic sarcoidosis including cardiac involvement [sCS], 27 with iCS) in the study. We compared the FDG PET/CT findings between the two groups. We examined the relationship between the CS type and the rate of adverse cardiac events. The iCS group had a significantly lower target-to-background ratio than the sCS group (P = 0.0010). The event-free survival rate was significantly lower in the iCS group than the sCS group (log-rank test, P < 0.0001). iCS was identified as an independent prognostic factor for adverse events (hazard ratio 3.82, P = 0.0059).ConclusioniCS was an independent prognostic factor for adverse cardiac events in patients with CS. The clinical diagnosis of iCS based on FDG PET/CT and new guidelines may be important.
Project description:BackgroundSarcoidosis is an inflammatory disease characterized by the formation of granulomas, which involve the heart in up to 25% of patients. Cardiac sarcoidosis can lead to life threatening arrhythmias and heart failure. While corticosteroids have been used as a treatment for over 50 years, they are associated with hypertension, diabetes, and weight gain, further increasing cardiovascular risk. Interleukin-1 (IL-1) is the prototypical proinflammatory cytokine that works to activate the nuclear transcription factor NF-kB, one of the targets of glucocorticoids. IL-1 also plays an important role also in the pathophysiology of heart disease including atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction, and myocarditis.MethodsBuilding on a network of research collaborators developed in the Cardiac Sarcoidosis Consortium, we will investigate the feasibility and tolerability of treatment of CS with anakinra at two National Institute of Health Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) hubs with expertise in cardiac sarcoidosis. In this pilot study, up to 28 patients with cardiac sarcoidosis will be recruited to compare the administration of an IL-1 blocker, anakinra, 100 mg daily on top of standard of care versus standard of care only for 28 days and followed for 180 days. Utilizing surrogate endpoints of changes in systemic inflammatory biomarkers and cardiac imaging, we aim to determine whether IL-1 blockade with anakinra can combat systemic and cardiac inflammation in patients with cardiac sarcoidosis.DiscussionThe current trial demonstrates an innovative collaborative approach to clinical trial development in a rare, understudied disease that disproportionately affects females and minorities. Trial Registration The trial was registered prospectively with ClinicalTrials.gov on July 12, 2019, identifier NCT04017936.
Project description:A 74-year-old man underwent echocardiographic exam for hypertension screening. A fixed plurilobulated mass originating from the right ventricular lateral wall and occupying half of the cavity was incidentally diagnosed. On cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) it appeared homogeneous, intermediate-to-high signal on T1-weighted, and diffusely hyperintense on T2-weighted images. First pass enhancement was late and heterogeneous and no late gadolinium enhancement was present. Computed tomography (CT) showed no extracardiac infiltration, the feeding artery was a branch of therightcoronary artery. The tumor was excised and histological examination demonstrated a hemangioma of the cavernous type. The postoperative course was uneventful. From 1998 to 2014, four cardiac hemangiomas have been diagnosed in our Department, accounting for 8.7% of all primary cardiac tumors and for 9.5% of all benign forms; estimated population prevalence was 0.11/100.000 inhabitants/year. The hemodynamic consequences of unoperated cardiac hemangiomas cannot be predicted and therefore, resection is recommended.