Cardiac - Learning Modules - CTisus.com CT Scanning

Learning Modules ❯ Cardiac

”Most of the primary malignant cardiac tumors are sarcomas, accounting for greater than 90% of cases. Undifferentiated high-grade pleomorphic sarcoma (UHGPS), rhabdomyosarcoma (RS), os- teosarcoma (OS), and leiomyosarcoma (LS) are discussed further. The most common of these tumors is UHGPS, previously known as malignant fibrous histiocytoma. UHGPS has a slight female predominance with a mean age of 47 years with a wide age range. RS, on the other hand, is the most common primary cardiac malignancy of childhood.”
Cardiac Neoplasms Radiologic-Pathologic Correlation
John P. Lichtenberger III et al.
Radiol Clin N Am 59 (2021) 231–242

Spindle Cell Sarcoma of Left Atrial Appendage

Metastatic Tumors to the Heart

Malignant cardiac tumors are most often a result of metastatic disease arising by direct extension of adjacent organs or spread via hematogenous, lymphatic, or intracavitary routes
The most common malignancies metastatic to the heart originate from the lung (35-40 %), followed by breast (10 %) and hematologic (10-20 %) carcinomas. Melanoma has the greatest propensity to metastasize to the heart, but it is often found late in the disease process

Metastatic Tumors to the Heart

The most frequent location of metastasis is the pericardium (65-70 %), followed by epicardium (25-35 %) and myocardium (30 %). Endocardial or intracavitary involvement is rarely observed (3.5 % of cases)

Pathology, imaging, and treatment of cardiac tumours.
Maleszewski, J., Anavekar, N., Moynihan, T. et al.
Nat Rev Cardiol 14, 536–549 (2017). Cardiac Masses