title: How to diagnose cardiac tamponade.
abstract: Malignant pericardial effusion is a potentially fatal complication of malignancy unless recognised and treated promptly. Patients with this condition are often difficult to diagnose. Physical examination, chest radiography and electrocardiography have poor diagnostic values in identification of patients with pericardial effusion. Echocardiography, which allows rapid confirmation of the presence of an effusion and precise assessment of its haemodynamic impact, is the gold standard for diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Groningen, PO Box 30001, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands. j.h.m.van.steijn@int.azg.nl
authors.forename: J H M
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: van Steijn
authors.forename: D Th
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Sleijfer
authors.forename: W T A
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: van der Graaf
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: van der Sluis
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nieboer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002305:Cardiac Tamponade / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004452:Echocardiography; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans