Ring-shaped calcific constrictive pericarditis strangling the heart: A case report

Abstract

Constrictive pericarditis is caused by fibrosis and calcification of the pericardium, processes that inhibit diastolic filling of the heart. For the diagnosis of constrictive pericarditis, a combined approach is used to evaluate the morphologic pericardial abnormalities in conjunction with assessment of the functional and hemodynamic changes. We report novel findings of chest computed tomography (CT) and chest roentgenogram with respect to a ring-shaped pericardial calcification on atrioventricular groove causing strangulation of the heart in the patient with constrictive pericarditis, which is anatomically rarer than other severe cases of constrictive pericarditis encasing the entire heart.