There is a caseating granulomatous process surrounding the heart, producing a constrictive pericarditis that encases the heart. The chest CT scan reveals brighter areas of calcification in this process that obliterates the pericardial cavity. The result is limitation of diastolic expansion that severely restricts cardiac output. Constrictive pericarditis is uncommon, but may result from a tuberculous pericarditis with spread of Mycobacterium tuberculosis from the lungs.
There were 55 correct entries out of 220 total entries for case 51.
| Our winner is: A.C. Faundo, MD of Quezon City, PHILLIPINES
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