Cardiac Tamponade in Breast Cancer With Diffuse Metastatic Pericardial Nodules : A Case Report

A case of breast cancer with cardiac tamponade due to diffuse metastasis to the pericardium confirmed by pericardiography is reported. A 51-year-old woman who had undergone radical mastectomy 6 years previously presented complaining of easy fatigability, shortness-of-breath and palpitation. Chest X-p showed pleural effusion and enlargement of CTR, and a diagnosis of pleural and pericardial carcinomatosis was made. Pericardial drainage was performed immediately because of cardiac tamponade with a central venous pressure of 22cm H2O. Pericardiography with contrast medium showed diffuse metastatic nodules of the pericardium which were confirmed malignancy histologically.Pericardial carcinomatosis is a fatal disease, therefore pericardial fluid must be definitively identified by ultrasonography in breast cancer patients. The extent of pericardial metastasis can be confirmed by the pericardiography.