title: CT diagnosis of hemopericardium in acute dissecting aneurysm of the thoracic aorta.
abstract: Acute hemopericardium was diagnosed preoperatively by computed tomography in three patients with acute dissection of the thoracic aorta. The CT findings consisted of pericardial thickening measuring between 14 and 21 mm, with attenuation values ranging between 26 and 62 Hounsfield units on unenhanced scans. In addition to the hemopericardium, CT also confirmed the diagnosis of Type I or Type II dissection in each case.
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000784:Aortic Dissection / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000473:pathology; D001014:Aortic Aneurysm / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010490:Pericardial Effusion; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed