Document Type : CASE REPORT

Authors

• Zahra Alizadeh Sani ¹
• Zahra Savand-Roomi ²
• Mohammad Vojdanparast ³
• Shadi Sarafan ⁴
• Azin Seifi ⁴
• Pouya Nezafati ⁵

¹ Rajaie Cardiovascular Medical and Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

² Department of Echocardiography, Kowsar Hospital, Shiraz, Iran

³ Cardiovascular Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

⁴ Department of Medical Sciences, Mashhad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, Iran

⁵ Cardiac Surgery Research Committee, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad; Student Research Committee, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

Abstract

Congenital absence of the pericardium is a rare abnormality that can be diagnosed by cardiac imaging procedures. A 49-year-old male needed medical attention due to the appearance of palpitation with a systolic murmur, and a notable aortic arch deviation was seen in the chest X-ray. In the echocardiogram, a poor echo window was detected. A cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a rare concomitant anomaly of partial absence of the pericardium including a rare defect of the right-sided aortic arch. Using cardiac MRI, the pericardium can be easily visualized, and thus, its absence more easily detected, aiding appropriate clinical decision-making.

Keywords

• Absence of pericardium
• cardiac magnetic resonance imaging
• vascular ring