Pulmonary artery sarcoma mimicking a pulmonary embolism

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Radiology
• Pathology

Background:

• Primary pulmonary artery sarcomas are exceedingly rare, with limited reported cases and sparse treatment data.
• These tumors are frequently misdiagnosed as pulmonary embolism due to similar radiological presentations.

Observation:

• A case is presented where a soft tissue sarcoma of the pulmonary artery mimicked a pulmonary embolism.
• Patients often remain symptomatic despite anticoagulation therapy for presumed pulmonary embolism.

Findings:

• Positron emission tomography (PET) scans proved invaluable, revealing increased radiotracer uptake and highlighting neoplasm as a primary differential diagnosis.
• Biopsy results were vimentin positive, cytokeratin negative, and CD117 negative, confirming a diagnosis of soft tissue sarcoma.

Implications:

• This case underscores the diagnostic challenges posed by primary pulmonary artery sarcomas.
• Accurate and timely diagnosis, potentially aided by advanced imaging like PET scans, is crucial for appropriate management.
• Further research into effective treatment modalities for these rare tumors is warranted.