Dilated right ventricular outflow tract in a young woman due to localized constrictive pericarditis: cardiac CT and MRI findings

Abstract

We present a case of a dilated right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) in a 30-year-old woman because of localized constrictive pericarditis where the diagnosis was reached with the help of cardiac CT, and MRI. The patient was suffering from congestive heart failure for two years and had partial pericardiectomy 10 years ago. The diagnostic evaluation of the localized pericarditis requires a multimodality approach and suspected patients would benefit from simple tests, such as X-ray and echocardiography, but also furthermore complex imaging, including cardiac CT and MRI. To our knowledge, our case is the second case in the literature that show localized constrictive pericarditis presenting with giant RVOT and this is the first case that cardiac CT and MRI have been performed.

Keywords: RVOT; localized constrictive pericarditis; pericardiectomy.

Fig. 1-2

Linear hyperdensity surrounding the heart suggesting calcification on the posteroanterior and lateral view (Chest X-ray).

Fig. 3-4

Focally calcific pericardium surrounding the left ventricle completely and right ventricle and dilated RVOT (48 × 32 mm in diameter) (3D CT VRT).

Figure 5-6-7

Dilatation of RVOT, pericardial thickening, and biatrial enlargement (MRI FIESTA axial, sagittal, coronal).

Figure 8

After the operation calcifications around the heart silhouette were not seen (chest X-ray).