CP may involve only portions of the pericardium. In such cases, the condition is named ‘localized CP’. Imaging methodologies play an important role in the diagnosis of this condition.
A 55-year-old man with a history of tuberculosis presented with signs of heart failure.
Chest X-ray showed pericardial calcifications confirmed on computed tomography ( Fig. 1 ). Echocardiography showed pericardial hyperecogenicity at the mid portion of both left and right ventricular walls and left atrium enlargement ( Fig. 2 ). Contractile dilatation of the apex was present. In M-mode tracing of the mitral valve, there was a steep E–F slope, as for rapid early diastolic filling. Pulsed-wave Doppler showed respiratory variation in transmitral flow: increased early diastolic filling during expiration compared with inspiration.
