title: Symptomatic Partial Congenital Absence of the Pericardium Revealed Using Cardiac Magnetic Resonance.
abstract: Congenital absence of the pericardium is a very uncommon finding, and its diagnosis poses a challenge because it is rarely suspected in daily clinical practice. Although in most cases it has a benign course, this congenital defect should be identified because of the associated risk of sudden death. We present a symptomatic case of partial congenital absence of the left pericardium suspected as the result of an abnormal response to exercise stress testing, and confirmed using cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. We review the current diagnostic tools and therapeutic indications of this rare anomaly.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Hospital Clínico Universitario, Valencia, Spain. Electronic address: ernestovaleropicher@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Ernesto
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Valero
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Hospital Clínico Universitario, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: Jose Antonio
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Ferrero
authors.affiliation: Unit of Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Imaging, ERESA, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: Maria Pilar
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: López-Lereu
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Hospital Clínico Universitario, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: Francisco Javier
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Chorro
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019468:Disease Management; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000379:methods; D005080:Exercise Test / Q000379:methods; D017079:Exercise Tolerance; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D019028:Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Cine / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D010496:Pericardium / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011379:Prognosis; D011859:Radiography; D013575:Syncope / Q000209:etiology*