Echocardiographic Evaluation of Patients with Mediastino-pulmonary Malignancies

As any cardiac involvement may worsen the prognosis of mediastino-pulmonary tumors, this study was designed to evaluate the function and anatomy of heart by ehocardiography in this group of patients. Medical records of 76 patients were reviewed for age, sex, type of malignancy, and cardiac consultation report. The patients underwent transthoracic echocardiography. Moreover, descriptive statistical methods were used for data analysis. The study population included 58 males and 18 females, with the mean (±SD) age of 50.70 ± 15.14. 71 out of 76 cases had normal LV function, 2 revealed to have severe pulmonary hypertension, and 9 had significant pericardial effusion. Furthermore, intra and extracardiac masses were observed in 5 patients. Severe mitral regurgitation and tricuspid regurgitation were also reported. Echocardiography is a useful noninvasive approach to determine cardiac involvement in the patients suffering from thoracic malignancies. (Tanaffos 2002; 1(2): 47-50)