Overcoming diagnostic challenges in constrictive pericarditis: why volume is important?

Abstract

A 65-year-old male with chronic liver disease and refractory ascites was being evaluated for liver transplant, when constrictive pericarditis (CP) was suspected. Initial diagnostics were inconclusive due to overdiuresis. After suspension of diuretics, cardiac magnetic resonance confirmed CP, leading to successful pericardiectomy and normalization of liver function, emphasizing volume status and multimodality imaging role in CP diagnosis.