Cardiac juvenile xanthogranuloma in an infant presenting with pericardial effusion

Juvenile xanthogranuloma is a rare histiocytic disorder of childhood mainly affecting skin and rarely deep soft tissues and viscera. We report a 2-month-old infant who presented with respiratory distress secondary to a large pericardial effusion associated with an epicardial mass. Excisional biopsy was performed and the mass was diagnosed as juvenile xanthogranuloma. The child is well without evidence of disease 8 months following the excision. The corresponding literature on juvenile xanthogranuloma with cardiac manifestations is reviewed.