Ventillation-perfusion scan findings of pulmonary artery sarcoma

Pulmonary artery sarcoma is a rare tumor of the cardiovascular system with only a few hundred cases reported in the literature. Because of its rarity and the similarity of its presentation to that of pulmonary thromboembolic disease, the diagnosis of pulmonary artery sarcoma is often not considered early in patients presenting with recurrent or chronic pulmonary emboli. In the last decade, heightened clinical suspicion and improved diagnostic modalities have allowed the diagnosis to be made prior to surgery. We present a case of a 29-year-old female with syncope in whom pulmonary artery sarcoma was diagnosed with highlights on the importance of performing a pre- and post-operative VQ scan in such cases.