Use of Intravascular Biopsy to Diagnose a Life-Threatening Giant Primary Anterior Mediastinal Yolk Sac Tumor

Zheng W, Le-feng W, Wen W,

Abstract

We present here the case of a 26 year old man with a life-threatening and rapidly growing mediastinal yolk sac tumor. Chest contrast-enhanced computerized tomography (CT) scan and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a giant anterior mediastinal mass with a rich surface blood supply that was invading the right atrium and superior vena cava. Because the severity of the superior vena cava syndrome (SVCS) made a traditional biopsy procedure risky, we performed an intravascular biopsy technique via the right femoral vein, successfully obtained biopsies from both the superior vena cava and right atrium, and identified an extragondal germ cell tumor.