title: Massive pericarditis constrictiva calcarea with compression of the right ventricle and consecutive pulmonary embolism.
abstract: A 40-year-old man was admitted with a massive pericarditis constrictiva calcarea. Transthoracic and transoesophageal echocardiography demonstrated a double-layered pericardial calcification with interspacial effusion, a massive compression of the right ventricle, and a thrombus formation in the ventricle. In addition, severe pulmonary embolism due to this right ventricular thrombus formation was diagnosed by CT. This case demonstrates the importance of a multimodal imaging approach (echocardiography, TDI, MRI, CT) in the diagnosis of constrictive pericarditis and pericardial masses. In respect to the severe pericardial calcification with the massive interspacial mass, and the compression of the right ventricle with thrombus formation and consecutive pulmonary embolism, this case appears to be a very rare and uncommon clinical finding.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology and Angiology, Marienhospital Herne, Ruhr-University Bochum, Hölkeskampring 40, D-44625 Herne, Germany. thomas.butz@marienhospital-herne.de
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Butz
authors.forename: Hakan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yeni
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Van Bracht
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Christ
authors.forename: Gunnar
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Plehn
authors.forename: Sebastion
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Machnick
authors.forename: Axel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Meissner
authors.forename: Hans-Joachim
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Trappe
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D010494:Pericarditis, Constrictive / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery