Multimodality Imaging of Pericardial Diseases

• Published in: JACC. Cardiovascular imaging Vol. 3; no. 6; pp. 650 - 660
• Main Authors: Yared, Kibar, MD, Baggish, Aaron L., MD, Picard, Michael H., MD, Hoffmann, Udo, MD, Hung, Judy, MD
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.06.2010
• Subjects: Acute Disease; Cardiac Tamponade - diagnosis; Cardiovascular; Echocardiography; Heart Defects, Congenital - diagnosis; Heart Diseases - diagnosis; Heart Diseases - therapy; Heart Neoplasms - diagnosis; Humans; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Pericardial Effusion - diagnosis; Pericarditis - diagnosis; Pericarditis, Constrictive - diagnosis; Pericardium - abnormalities; Pericardium - diagnostic imaging; Pericardium - pathology; Predictive Value of Tests; Prognosis; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; pericardial tamponade; PT; RV; TTE; left ventricle; cardiac computed tomography; echocardiography; bSSFP; IVS; LV; pericarditis; acute pericarditis; left atrium; constrictive pericarditis; balanced steady-state free precession; CMR; transthoracic echocardiography; CP; interventricular septum; AP; RA; inferior vena cava; right ventricle; CCT; LA; right atrium; IVC; cardiac magnetic resonance
• ISSN: 1936-878X; 1876-7591
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jcmg.2010.04.009

Pericardial disease is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with cardiovascular disease. Inflammatory diseases of the pericardium constitute a spectrum ranging from acute pericarditis to chronic constrictive pericarditis. Other important entities that involve the pericardium include benign and malignant pericardial masses, pericardial cysts, and diverticula, as well as congenital absence of the pericardium. Recent advances in multimodality noninvasive cardiac imaging have solidified its role in the management of patients with suspected pericardial disease. The physiologic and structural information obtained from transthoracic echocardiography and the anatomic detail provided by cardiac computed tomography and magnetic resonance have led to growing interest in the complementary use of these techniques. Optimal management of the patient with suspected pericardial disease requires familiarity with the key imaging modalities and the ability to choose the appropriate imaging tests for each patient. This report reviews the imaging modalities most useful in the assessment of patients with pericardial disease, with an emphasis on the complementary value of multimodality cardiac imaging.