Atypical chest x-ray calcification in an idiopathic constrictive pericarditis case.
Constrictive pericarditis is an uncommon cause of heart failure. It is a clinical entity caused by thickening, fibrosis, and/or calcification of the pericardium. We present a 50-year-old female patient who was admitted to our institution with a 6-month history of progressive dyspnea on exertion, abdominal swelling, and lower extremity edema. Her chest X-ray revealed an oblique linear calcification in the cardiac silhouette. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed biatrial enlargement. Left ventricular size and systolic function were normal. Cardiac computed tomography revealed the pericardial thickening (>5 mm) and heavy calcification in left atrioventricular groove. Simultaneous right and left heart catheterization showed elevation and equalization of right-sided and left-sided diastolic filling pressures, with characteristic dip, and plateau. Pericardiectomy was performed which revealed a thick, fibrous, calcified, and densely adherent pericardium constricting the heart. The postoperative period was uneventful and was in NYHA functional class I after 3 months.
Istanbul University, Institute of Cardiology, Cardiology Department, Haseki Street, Fatih, 34096 Istanbul, Turkey.
Uğur
U
Coşkun
Istanbul University, Institute of Cardiology, Cardiology Department, Haseki Street, Fatih, 34096 Istanbul, Turkey.
Ismail Polat
IP
Canbolat
Istanbul University, Institute of Cardiology, Cardiology Department, Haseki Street, Fatih, 34096 Istanbul, Turkey.
Umit Yaşar
UY
Sinan
Istanbul University, Institute of Cardiology, Cardiology Department, Haseki Street, Fatih, 34096 Istanbul, Turkey.
Cem
C
Bostan
Istanbul University, Institute of Cardiology, Cardiology Department, Haseki Street, Fatih, 34096 Istanbul, Turkey.
Kadriye
K
Kılıçkesmez
Istanbul University, Institute of Cardiology, Cardiology Department, Haseki Street, Fatih, 34096 Istanbul, Turkey.
Ahmet
A
Yıldız
Istanbul University, Institute of Cardiology, Cardiology Department, Haseki Street, Fatih, 34096 Istanbul, Turkey.
Murat
M
Başkurt
Istanbul University, Institute of Cardiology, Cardiology Department, Haseki Street, Fatih, 34096 Istanbul, Turkey.
Fatma Nihan
FN
Turhan Çağlar
Istanbul University, Institute of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Surgery Department, Haseki Street, Fatih, 34096 Istanbul, Turkey.
Alican
A
Hatemi
Istanbul University, Institute of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Surgery Department, Haseki Street, Fatih, 34096 Istanbul, Turkey.
Cenk Eray
CE
Yıldız
Istanbul University, Institute of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Surgery Department, Haseki Street, Fatih, 34096 Istanbul, Turkey.
Sadettin
S
Cöhcen
Istanbul University, Institute of Cardiology, Cardiology Department, Haseki Street, Fatih, 34096 Istanbul, Turkey.
Aziz Tevfik
AT
Gürmen
Istanbul University, Institute of Cardiology, Cardiology Department, Haseki Street, Fatih, 34096 Istanbul, Turkey.
Mehmet Serdar
MS
Küçükoğlu