Pericardial calcification

Pericardial calcification may occur secondary to a wide variety of inflammatory insults ranging from viral infections, uraemia, and pericarditis, which usually result in a more thinthinner, eggshell pattern of calcification, compared to more aggressive inflammatory conditions such as TB, in which thick, confluent, and irregular calcification may be seen.

The presence of pericardial calcification itself doesis not implydiagnostic of constrictive pericarditis and may be an asymptomatic incidental finding. However, otherin this case, the clinical features of constrictiveand IVC dilatation are in keeping with significant cardiac failure suchconstriction. Constrictive pericarditis is often misdiagnosed as pleural effusion(s), retrograde flow of contrast into a dilated IVC, and leftward deviation of the interventricular septum should be evaluatedliver disease.

The normal pericardial thickness on the CT scan should be less than 2 mm ¹.