Experiences with ultrasonic parasagittal sector B-mode scanning in pericardial effusion
Boultbee, J.E.; Engelbrecht, H.E.; Rooknoodeen, F.R.
South African Medical Journal 58(14): 564-567
1980
ISSN/ISBN: 0256-9574 PMID: 7423295 Document Number: 156596
During parasagittal B-mode scanning of the liver, pulsatile cardiac interfaces are demonstrable by increasing the swept gain. In a normal patient the interface of hemidiaphragm and pericardium is combined. In a patient with a pericardial effusion there is a transsonic semilunar space which separates the combined diaphragmatic and pericardial interface from that of a pulsatile epicardium. A review of 30 cases of proven pericardial effusions revealed that the diagnostic accuracy of this method is virtually the same as that of M-mode scanning and, furthermore, that by using both methods some of the pitfalls of M-mode scanning can be avoided.