Pulmonary artery sarcoma masquerading as refractory pulmonary embolism: A case report.

Xinyue Yang, Jianfang Luo, Jiaohua Chen
Author Information
  1. Xinyue Yang: Department of Cardiology, Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China. ORCID
  2. Jianfang Luo: Department of Cardiology, Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China. ORCID
  3. Jiaohua Chen: Department of Cardiology, Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China. ORCID

Abstract

Pulmonary artery sarcoma (PAS) is a rare but aggressive malignancy often misdiagnosed as pulmonary embolism (PE) due to similar clinical presentations. This case report presents an early 40s female with progressive dyspnea, hemoptysis, high pulmonary arterial pressures (112 mmHg), and right heart strain unresponsive to anticoagulation therapy. Imaging findings, including cardiac magnetic resonance and positron emission tomography-computed tomography, ultimately revealed PAS. This case highlights the importance of considering rare etiologies, such as PAS, in patients with PE-like symptoms refractory to standard treatment. Early detection using advanced imaging techniques can improve diagnostic accuracy and outcomes in this rare malignancy.

Keywords

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MeSH Term

Humans
Pulmonary Embolism
Female
Pulmonary Artery
Sarcoma
Diagnosis, Differential
Adult
Vascular Neoplasms
Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography

Word Cloud

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