title: Postmortem computed tomographic (PMCT) findings of pericardial effusion due to acute aortic dissection.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the appearance of pericardial effusion in deceased acute aortic dissection patients using postmortem computed tomography (PMCT).
  
  
  METHODS
  PMCT examinations were performed within 2 hours of death in 30 patients with pericardial effusion due to aortic dissection who arrived at our hospital in a state of cardiopulmonary arrest.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pericardial effusion in 18 of 30 patients (60%) showed double concentric rings on PMCT with striking differences in density, a low-density outer ring along the pericardium and a high-density inner ring on the epicardial surface (hyperdense armored heart). Pericardial effusion in two patients (7%) showed a high-density fluid level (hypostasis). Pericardial effusion in the remaining 10 patients (33%) showed no such stratification.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A "hyperdense armored heart" is the most frequently seen PMCT finding in deceased cases of pericardial effusion due to acute aortic dissection.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Radiology, Tsukuba Medical Center Hospital, Ibaraki, Japan.
authors.forename: Seiji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shiotani
authors.forename: Ko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Mototsugu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kohno
authors.forename: Noriyoshi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ohashi
authors.forename: Kentaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamazaki
authors.forename: Hidetsugu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakayama
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000784:Aortic Dissection / Q000150:complications*; D001014:Aortic Aneurysm / Q000150:complications*; D002102:Cadaver; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010490:Pericardial Effusion / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D010496:Pericardium / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed