Key result
Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging successfully identified cardiac metastasis in a 48-year-old man with small cell lung cancer after repeated echocardiography and CT scans showed no obvious changes.
Why the study?
Cardiac metastasis from small cell lung cancer is rare, but its incidence is anticipated to increase with extended survival rates.
Case Report (n=1)
Highlights the utility of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging in diagnosing rare cardiac metastases in patients with small cell lung cancer presenting with unexplained cardiac symptoms.
CMR may detect occult cardiac metastases missed by echo/CT in SCLC; leaves open need for prospective validation before broader use.
BACKGROUND: Cardiac metastasis from small cell lung cancer (SCLC) origin is rare, whereas the incidence is anticipated to increase with the extended survival rates. CASE: We here describe a case report of a 48-year-old male patient diagnosis with SCLC in 2020. In June 2021, he resorted to hospital due to shortness of breath, no obvious changes were found in repeated echocardiography, electrocardiogram and chest computer tomography from June 2021 to September 2021. Due to the persistence of the complaints, cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging was performed in September 30th, 2021, which showed a mass in the right atrioventricular groove. The patient underwent pericardiocentesis and small cell carcinoma cells were found in the pericardial effusion, confirming the diagnosis of cardiac metastasis. CONCLUSION: Patients with a history of SCLC who develop new cardiac symptoms of unknown etiology should undergo imaging studies such as CMR. The importance of CMR for patients with SCLC is highlighted. The literature regarding metastatic cardiac tumors is reviewed.
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Tian et al. (2022) conducted a case report in Cardiac metastasis from small cell lung cancer (n=1). Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging was evaluated. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging successfully identified cardiac metastasis in a 48-year-old man with small cell lung cancer after repeated echocardiography and CT scans showed no obvious changes.
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