Answer 4 Echocardiogram. This patient likely has cardiac tamponade, and the most important diagnostic study to perform next would be an echocardiogram, which will confirm the presence of an effusion and direct further management. Cardiac enzymes would help rule out an MI, and sputum stain for mycobacterium would help identify the etiology of acute pericarditis. However, it is more important to initially rule out or confirm the presence of an effusion causing cardiac tamponade. Computed tomography is a useful modality for imaging the pericardium, but it is not as cost-effective and cannot be obtained as quickly as an echocardiogram. Click here to return to the questions

Click here to read more about Clinical Signs of Acute Pericarditis and Its Complications (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader) Check our archives to test your knowledge in other clinical signs: If you do not already have Acrobat Reader, simply click on the icon below, scroll down to the "Get the Free Acrobat Reader" heading and follow the instructions to install the program. Acrobat enables you to convert any document into an Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) file for easy viewing. Download Adobe Acrobat Reader

Hospital Physician     JCOM     Seminars in Medical Practice Hospital Physician Board Review Manuals About TWC    Subscribe    Contact TWC    Home    Search   Site Map Copyright © 2009, Turner White Communications Updated 1/04/08 • kkj