Echocardiography Chapter 10: Pericardial Disease Flashcards
1
Q
How does pericardial effusion affect the intracardiac pressures?
A
Effusion will exert an extracardiac pressure on the heart’s chambers, which will resist the normal intracardiac pressures.
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2
Q
How can you distinguish pericardial effusion from pleural effusion in an echocardiogram?
A
In PLAX, pericardial effusion will appear anterior to the descending aorta, while pleural effusion will appear posterior to the descending aorta.
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3
Q
How can a pericardial effusion be distinguished from a pericardial fat pad?
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A
An effusion will be anechoic, since effusion is primarily composed of water, which doesn’t reflect sound. A fat pad will be more echogenic, since fat reflects some sound.
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