How is pericarditis diagnosed?
The heart of a person with pericarditis is likely to produce a grating sound (friction rub) when heard through a stethoscope. This sound occurs because the roughened pericardium surfaces are rubbing against each other. The doctor notes the symptoms of chest pain and examines the chest area. Further evaluation can include chest x-ray, EKG, and
echocardiogram, as well as consideration of any underlying predisposing disease processes. The doctor will review your medical history, especially any history of recent viral infection, heart attack, chest trauma, chest surgery, tuberculosis, kidney disease, rheumatic disease or collagen vascular disorder. Your doctor also will ask you to describe specific details about your chest pain, including its location, what triggers it (cough, swallowing, deep breath), how long it lasts and what relieves it.
The doctor will perform a physical examination using a stethoscope to listen for a pericardial friction rub. This is a characteristic grating, leathery sound that can appear in patients with pericarditis. Other tests that can give your doctor further evidence of pericarditis include an electrocardiogram (EKG), an echocardiogram (a painless scan that uses sound waves to delineate structures in and around the heart) and sometimes a simple chest X-ray. In selected cases, a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT) scan also may be needed to look for changes in the pericardium. If a pericardial effusion has developed, a sample of the fluid may be drawn off with a sterile needle (aspirated) from around your heart and sent for laboratory analysis. Also, depending on the specific suspected cause of the pericarditis, you may need a skin test for tuberculosis or additional blood testing to look for signs of infection, heart attack, rheumatic illness or collagen vascular disease. |
