What is Pericardial or Mediastinal Mesothelioma?
Pericardial mesothelioma is a rare type of tumour that develops in the heart or pericardium, pericardium is a sac that encloses the heart and great vessels of the heart. It is a rare type of tumor and accounts for only 0.7% of all mesothelioma tumours. It is more common in people between the ages of 50-70 years.Disease Causes
Asbestos exposure is a known cause of pericardial mesothelioma.Signs and Symptoms
The patient may suffer from the following signs and symptoms. These are- Pain in the chest
- Difficulty in breathing
- Constant fatigue
- Cough
- Fever
- Irregular heartbeat
Diagnosis
The following diagnostic tests and procedures can be used to make a diagnosis. These are;- Imaging techniques like Chest X-ray, CT-scan, MRI, and PET scan to see the site, size, and extent of the tumour.
- Tumour biopsy (tumour biopsy to remove a small sample of tissue for histopathological examination)
- Sputum cytology
- USG-guided fine needle aspiration cytology