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Updated: Mar 28, 2026

Myocardial Infarction and Functional Outcome Assessment in Pigs
Published on: April 25, 2014
An unusual myocardial infarction
Sara Di Michele1, Francesca Mirabelli1, Domenico Galzerano2
1Department of Heart and Great Vessels 'A. Reale', La Sapienza University , Rome , Italy.
Insights
A chondrosarcoma mimicked myocardial infarction (MI) in a 74-year-old male. Echocardiography revealed a cardiac tumor, highlighting the need to consider tumors in MI diagnosis.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Oncology
- Diagnostic Imaging
Background:
- Myocardial infarction (MI) is a common cause of chest pain.
- Cardiac tumors are rare but can present with diverse symptoms.
Observation:
- A 74-year-old male presented with chest pain, initially diagnosed as MI based on ECG and biomarkers.
- Initial investigations including angiography, echocardiogram, and CT scan did not reveal cardiac abnormalities.
- A subsequent echocardiogram identified a mass in the right ventricle and cardiac apex.
Findings:
- The cardiac mass was confirmed as chondrosarcoma via chest CT scan.
- The tumor presented with electrocardiogram (ECG) changes mimicking ischemic heart disease.
- Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) proved crucial in detecting the cardiac tumor.
Implications:
- Cardiac tumors should be considered in the differential diagnosis of MI, especially when coronary angiography is negative.
- TTE is the primary imaging modality for diagnosing cardiac tumors.
- This case underscores the importance of comprehensive diagnostic evaluation for chest pain.
Unlabelled:
We present a 74-year-old male with a chondrosarcoma, who presented with chest pain. The history, electrocardiogram (ECG), and biomarkers established the diagnosis of myocardial infarction (MI); angiography did not show coronary atherosclerosis and, both initial transthoracic echocardiogram and chest computed tomography (CT), did not demonstrate any cardiac abnormalities. A second echocardiogram following a routine ECG showed presence of a mass involving the right ventricle and the cardiac apex that was confirmed by chest CT scan. We underline the importance of considering cardiac tumors in the clinical arena of MI management.
Learning Points:
Cardiac tumors cause ECG changes similar to ischemic heart diseases.Keep in mind cardiac tumors when performing transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) in the setting of suspected MI.TTE is the technique of choice in detecting cardiac tumors.
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