EVALUATION OF INDUCED PERICARDIAL EFFUSION BY REFLECTED ULTRASOUND

An experimental evaluation of the ultrasonic technic for the diagnosis of pericardial effusion revealed the following: 1. 1. The individual waveforms of posterior wall and pericardium could be differentiated after as little as 50 cc. of saline solution was infused into the pericardium. The waveform of the posterior wall could be quickly identified. When pericardial effusion existed the waveform of the posterior wall was separated by an echofree area from the waveform of the pericardium. 2. 2. The pericardium is capable of reflecting more ultrasonic energy than the posterior ventricular wall. 3. 3. Pleural effusion can probably be differentiated from pericardial effusion. 4. 4. The major interface of the left ventricular posterior wall is the blood-endocardium interface. The distance from the blood-endocardium to the epicardium-fluid or lung interface is a measure of wall thickness which compares favorably with direct measurements taken at autopsy. © 1968.