Echonegative space in the pericardium

When visualizing an echonegative space in the pericardium, one can suspect, first of all, an effusion, the presence of fluid content in the pericardium. In this case, in the presence of an abnormal amount of fluid in the pericardial cavity, an echonegative area appears. On the screen, this area is visualized as a darkened zone. This is not a diagnosis.

The area of echonegativity is only one of the signs by which a diagnosis can be made. There may be many reasons for the appearance of this condition. In any case, additional diagnostics is required to make an accurate diagnosis. Often with the detection of a zone of echonegativity, further diagnoses such as effusion in the pericardial cavity are made. In most cases, this is a non-inflammatory effusion.

It should be noted that this condition is not rare. Thus, about 6-7% of adults have echonegativity zones in the pericardium. This condition can develop against the background of inflammatory processes in heart tissue, after cardiac surgery, acute myocardial infarction, heart failure, as well as respiratory failure. In metabolic disorders, immune system function, against the background of chronic renal and hepatic failure, in the development of severe infectious, inflammatory, intoxication, autoimmune process can also be observed echonegativity zone. Sometimes such zones appear with severe trauma to the chest, heart cavity, especially if the trauma is accompanied by effusion, accumulation of pathologic amounts of fluid. This is often a sign of such a condition as chylopericarditis - a disease in which there is an accumulation of lymphatic fluid in the pericardial cavity. In some women in the period of carrying a child in the heart may form zones of echonegativity. Often this is observed against the background of complicated, difficult pregnancy, accompanied by severe edema and gestosis. This condition often occurs after a recent heart attack, or in the early stages of its occurrence.

In general, areas of echonegativity can be associated with any inflammatory and non-inflammatory processes that are accompanied by exudate formation, fluid accumulation in the pericardial cavity. Often we are not talking about malignant or tumor processes, because tumors (both benign and malignant) are traced as anechogenic zones during ultrasound.

If echonegative areas are detected, additional differential diagnostics is performed, on the basis of which a diagnosis is made. In this case, in the end, it is often necessary to face such diseases as polyserositis - a condition in which the inflammatory process involves the serous membranes of the heart, exudate is formed in the pericardial cavity. Often echonegativity indicates the development of pancarditis, which is a disease of the pericardium, in which the heart is inflamed, and often other membranes of the chest.

Echonegative zones can occur in pericarditis of different genesis. Thus, pericarditis represent acute inflammatory heart diseases accompanying various allergic, autoimmune, infectious diseases. In diseases that are accompanied by general circulatory disturbances, hemorrhages and necrotic processes, zones of echonegativity are often observed. Echonegativity can be a sign of such a condition as hydropericarditis, hemipericarditis, chylopericarditis. Hydrocarditis is accompanied by the formation of watery edema, whereas blood pooling is the leading symptom in hemicarditis. Chylopericarditis is an accumulation of chylous fluid. Often the zone of echonegativity develops in severe diseases, traumatic injuries.