Pericardial effusion and atrial thrombosis: a rare complication of childhood leukemia.

BACKGROUND

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common malignancy diagnosed in children. Extramedullary leukemia including hepatosplenomegaly, lymphadenopathy, and mediastinal mass are the clinical presentations of T-cell ALL. Pericardial effusion and atrial mass are rare presentations of pediatric leukemia.

CASE PRESENTATION: We report a 15-year-old girl with T-cell ALL, who presented initially with pericardial effusion and cardiac tamponade and subsequently developed right atrial mass. The mediastinal and right atrial masses were excised by surgical procedure as a treatment strategy for prevention of arrhythmia and sudden death.

CONCLUSION

T-cell ALL can present with pericardial and mediastinal involvement as an initial manifestation. Pericardiocenthesis and systemic anticancer chemotherapy without local chemotherapy should be considered in these cases.