Pericardial effusion echocardiography

Jump to navigation Jump to search

Pericardial effusion Microchapters

Home

Patient Information

Overview

Historical Perspective

Classification

Pathophysiology

Causes

Differentiating Pericardial effusion from other Diseases

Epidemiology and Demographics

Risk Factors

Screening

Natural History, Complications and Prognosis

Diagnosis

Diagnostic Study of Choice

History and Symptoms

Physical Examination

Laboratory Findings

Electrocardiogram

Chest X Ray

Echocardiography and Ultrasound

CT scan

MRI

Other Imaging Findings

Other Diagnostic Studies

Cardiac Catheterization

Treatment

Medical Therapy

Interventions

Surgery

Primary Prevention

Secondary Prevention

Pericardial Window

Cost-Effectiveness of Therapy

Future or Investigational Therapies

Case Studies

Pericardial effusion echocardiography On the Web

Most recent articles

Most cited articles

Review articles

CME Programs

Powerpoint slides

Google Images

American Roentgen Ray Society Images of Pericardial effusion echocardiography

All Images
X-rays
Echo & Ultrasound
CT Images
MRI

Ongoing Trials at Clinical Trials.gov

US National Guidelines Clearinghouse

NICE Guidance

FDA on Pericardial effusion echocardiography

CDC on Pericardial effusion echocardiography

Pericardial effusion echocardiography in the news

Blogs on Pericardial effusion echocardiography

Directions to Hospitals Treating Type page name here

Risk calculators and risk factors for Pericardial effusion echocardiography

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Abdelrahman Ibrahim Abushouk, MD[2]

Overview

The role of echocardiography is to chracterize the presence, size, location, and hemodynamic impact of a pericardial effusion. Echocardiography is not needed to diagnose the cause of pericardial effusion. The finding usually include presence of moderate and large pericardial effusion, swinging of the heart within the effusion and reversal of right atrial and right ventricular diastolic transmural pressures. Echocardiography should be performed if there is a suspicion of tamponade (e.g. distended neck veins, pulsus paradoxus).

Echocardiography

Findings

  • Presence of moderate and large pericardial effusion.
  • Swinging of the heart within the effusion. It is this swinging motion that gives rise to electrical alternans.
  • Reversal of right atrial and right ventricular diastolic transmural pressures.
  • Cardiac chamber indentation or collapse is a common finding in cardiac tamponade.
  • Right atrium and right ventricle are the commonest to collapse when intrapericardial pressure exceeds intracardiac pressure within any particular chamber.
  • Right atrial collapse:
    • Right atrial pressure is minimal during diastole. However, pericardial pressure is maximal in diastole. Due to this the first signs of collapse could be seen during right atrial diastole.
    • Right atrial collapse if persists for > 1/3rd of cardiac cycle is a good indicator of impending tamponade.
    • Transient right atrial collapse can occur normally also.
  • Diastolic collapse of right ventricle is very specific for cardiac tamponade.
  • Diastolic left atrial collapse are very specific for cardiac tamponade.
  • Left ventricle collapse is uncommon due to high thickness of ventricular wall.
  • The respiratory variation of mitral valve and tricuspid valve is increased.

Pericardial Effusion and Cardiac Tamponade

In pericardial effusion, large hypoechoic regions are seen surrounding the heart with presence of oscillatory motion of the heart.
The echocardiogram below demonstrates swinging motion of the heart in cardiac tamponade. {{#ev:youtube|U4xQ3-VRiNg}}


Echocardiography of heart with loculated pericardial effusion compressing the left ventricle {{#ev:youtube|unnmmlCyyZM}}


Cardiac tamponade {{#ev:youtube|YWVI6rRTIzU}}


Cardiac tamponade {{#ev:youtube|_az8_V6bHE8}}


Left ventricular free wall rupture in patient with cardiac tamponade {{#ev:youtube|g9TdKcFRiLo}}


Collapse of right ventricle in patient with cardiac tamponade {{#ev:youtube|dwJkJr00v5c}}


A very large pericardial effusion due to malignancy as seen on cardiac ultrasound. Closed arrow: the heart, open arrow: the effusion


References

  1. Cheitlin MD, Armstrong WF, Aurigemma GP, Beller GA, Bierman FZ, Davis JL, Douglas PS, Faxon DP, Gillam LD, Kimball TR, Kussmaul WG, Pearlman AS, Philbrick JT, Rakowski H, Thys DM, Antman EM, Smith SC, Alpert JS, Gregoratos G, Anderson JL, Hiratzka LF, Hunt SA, Fuster V, Jacobs AK, Gibbons RJ, Russell RO (2003). "ACC/AHA/ASE 2003 guideline update for the clinical application of echocardiography: summary article: a report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines (ACC/AHA/ASE Committee to Update the 1997 Guidelines for the Clinical Application of Echocardiography)". Circulation. 108 (9): 1146–62. doi:10.1161/01.CIR.0000073597.57414.A9. PMID 12952829. Retrieved 2012-09-14. Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)

Template:WH Template:WS