1988 Volume 29 Issue 5 Pages 728-732
A 19-year-old male admitted our hospital because of dyspnea on exertion and palpitation. He was well until October, 1986, when he noticed a mass in the right-nasal cavity and was first admitted for further evaluation including biopsy, which revealed non-Hodgikin's lymphoma, diffuse mixed type, and a diagnosis of stage IAE was made. He received local irradiation therapy on the nasal region and achieved complete remission. Then he discharged and has followed up.
In April, 1987, he developed dyspnea on exertion and palpitation and was hospitalized again. On admission pericardial and pleural effusion were found on chest x-ray film and ultrasound cardiography. Malignant lymphoma cells were demonstrated in the aspirated pericardial and pleural effusion. He was treated with MCOP protocol, with some relief. But his general condition gradully got worse again, and the pleural and pericardial effusion also increased. This time he received the chemotherapy consisting of vincristine, predonisolone, vindesin and ifosfamide. And mytomysin C and predonisolone were injected into his percardial cavity. Despite of such intensive cares his condition rapidly deteriorated, and he was pronounced dead.
Cardiac infiltration of malignant lymphoma varies from 17 to 27 per cent in several autopsy series. But the clinical diagnosis of cardic involvement is rarely made. In this case report, we present a rare malignant lymphoma case having pericardial infiltration demonstrated during clinical course.
