Zeitschrift für Kardiologie
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Case Reports
[Hemorrhagic nonspecific pericardial effusion as an initial symptom of angiosarcoma of the right heart].
A 45-year old woman presented at our hospital with intermittent fever in the last three weeks and progressive exertional dyspnea. In addition she suffered from physical asthenia. Seven months ago the patient was treated for symptomatic pericardial effusion in our clinic. ⋯ Primary malignant cardiac tumors are rare and their prognosis is very poor. The heart angiosarcoma is often disseminated into the lungs and the liver at the time of clinical presentation. This case indicates that hemorrhagic nonspecific pericardial effusion, negative for tumor cells, can appear any time before a heart angiosarcoma is detectable by echocardiography.