Usefulness of the transgastric view by transesophageal echocardiography in evaluating thickened pericardium in patients with constrictive pericarditis.

Detection of thickened pericardium in patients with constrictive pericarditis is essential for pericardiectomy because restrictive cardiomyopathy and severe tricuspid regurgitation show similar hemodynamic data. The purpose of this study was to clarify whether transesophageal echocardiography can evaluate thickened pericardium. We investigated 7 patients with constrictive pericarditis who underwent pericardiectomy. Thickened pericardium over the right atrium was detected in 6 patients, but the borders were not clear. Thickened pericardium over the left ventricle was not detected in any patients in the standard longitudinal and horizontal views. On the other hand, thickened pericardium over the ventricles was detected in all patients in the transgastric view as an echogenic area between the liver and ventricular wall. Tissue characteristics of the thickened pericardium could be evaluated because of the high-quality images in the transgastric view. The transgastric view by transesophageal echocardiography allows high-quality images of the pericardium, which might be useful in diagnosing constrictive pericarditis.