Primary intraaortic malignancy--a case report.

Malignant peripheral arterial emboli are extremely unusual. Most reported cases of malignant arterial emboli are secondary to invasion of the systemic circulation by pulmonary malignancies via the pulmonary veins. We report a rare case of a primary sarcoma of the aortic arch that presented as malignant emboli. When confronted by a patient with malignant emboli, a normal chest radiograph, and no evidence of a right-to-left shunt, a primary malignancy of the aorta should be suspected and angiography should be performed.