Role of non-invasive multimodality imaging in autoimmune pericarditis

Abstract

Systemic autoimmune diseases are an important cause of pericardial involvement and contribute to up to ∼22% cases of pericarditis with a known aetiology. The underlying mechanism for pericardial involvement varies with each systemic disease and leads to a poor understanding of its management. Multimodality imaging establishes the diagnosis and determines the type and extent of pericardial involvement. In this review, we elaborate upon various pericardial syndromes associated with different systemic autoimmune and autoinflammatory diseases and the multitude of imaging modalities that can be used to further characterize autoimmune pericardial involvement. Lastly, these forms of pericarditis have a greater likelihood of recurrence, and clinicians need to understand their unique treatment approaches to improve patient outcomes.

Keywords: computerized tomography; echocardiography; imaging; magnetic resonance imaging; pericardial disease.