Late incidental diagnosis of intrapericardial teratoma - A case report

We report a case of intrapericardial teratoma, which is a rare primary cardiac tumor usually found in newborns and infants. Cardiac teratomas can cause respiratory failure, large accumulations of pericardial fluid and cardiac compression leading to death in the intrauterine or neonatal period. The case described is rare because it is of a 16-year-old asymptomatic girl with an intrapericardial tumor as an incidental echocardiographic finding. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging showed a complex pericardial cyst. Due to the potential for malignant evolution, she was referred for surgery to remove the tumor and a diagnosis of teratoma was confirmed by histopathology. Clinical follow-up had a good outcome.