Entrapped Coronary Arteries in Constrictive Pericarditis

J Invasive Cardiol. 2021 Aug;33(8):E679.

Abstract

Pericardial constriction can be present without pericardial calcium and often without pericardial thickening. This epicardial coronary artery motion abnormality due to entrapment in a thickened, fibrotic pericardium, is characteristic of constrictive pericarditis, and differentiates this entity from other close differential diagnoses, such as restrictive and dilated cardiomyopathy.

Keywords: coronary artery imaging; pericarditis.

MeSH terms

  • Coronary Vessels* / diagnostic imaging
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Humans
  • Pericarditis, Constrictive* / diagnostic imaging
  • Pericarditis, Constrictive* / surgery
  • Pericardium / diagnostic imaging