Isolated Cardiac Hydatid Cyst

Hydatid cyst disease is common in our part of the world. Cardiac hydatid cyst is its rare manifestation. We report this case of 48-year male having isolated cardiac hydatid cyst, incidentally found on computed tomography. This patient presented in medical OPD of Combined Military Hospital, Lahore with one month history of mild retrosternal discomfort. His general physical and systemic examinations as well as ECG were unremarkable. Chest X-ray showed an enlarged cardiac shadow with mildly irregular left heart border. Contrast enhanced CT scan of the chest showed a large well defined multiloculated non-enhancing cystic lesion with multiple daughter cysts involving wall of left ventricle and overlying pericardium. Serology for echinococcus confirmed the diagnosis of hydatid cyst. Patient was offered the surgical treatment but he opted for medical treatment only. Albendezol was prescribed. His follow-up echocardiography after one month showed no significant decrease in size of the cyst. (author)