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Aortic Angiosarcoma: A Rare Cause for Leaking Thoracic Aneurysm

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Abstract

Primary malignant tumours of the aorta are rare. They present with aneurysm formation, arterial occlusion, and embolic phenomenon. We report the case of a 56-year-old man whose initial presentation and investigations lead to emergency endovascular stenting of a descending thoracic aneurysm with a contained leak. Initial response was favourable, yet the patient presented again with worsening symptoms. The circum-aortic haematoma expanded by 50% on subsequent imaging, but no endoleak was identified. When altered bone marrow signal was identified on magnetic resonance imaging, the possibility of malignancy was considered. A metastatic skin lesion was then biopsied, which demonstrated morphological and immunohistochemical features consistent with metastases from a pleomorphic sarcoma of the aorta.

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Correspondence to S. L. Hales.

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Hales, S.L., Locke, R., Sandison, A. et al. Aortic Angiosarcoma: A Rare Cause for Leaking Thoracic Aneurysm. Cardiovasc Intervent Radiol 34 (Suppl 2), 20–24 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00270-009-9776-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00270-009-9776-3

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