Pericardial constriction echocardiography


 * Associate Editor-In-Chief: Atif Mohammad, M.D.

Echocardiography
Echocardiography is used to diagnose and differentiate pericardial constriction from other cardiomyopathies. It can demonstrate thickening of the pericardium and specific flow patterns across the mitral and tricuspid valves that are evidence of the abnormal diastolic filling in constriction. Collapse of the IVC and hepatic veins can be seen.

However, echocardiography is not as sensitive as CT scanning or an MRI when it pertains to pericardial imaging.

Doppler Echocardiography contributes important hemodynamic information, such as:


 * Early rapid diastolic filling
 * Can help distinguished between restrictive and constrictive pericarditis by the doppler ventricular inflow
 * Tissue doppler echocardiography measures the tissue velocities