Figure 3.

With the ultrasound probe at the tip of the catheter, the size of the space between the heart and the pericardial membrane can be assessed precisely in diastole and systole. Lower panels show a smaller range of variation in the size of the pericardial space in a pig with severe pericardial adhesions compared with a control pig in the upper panels (a). Note different scales for upper and lower panels. The real-time pictures from the IVUS system show an immediate decrease in the pericardial space by removal of pericardial fluid in the presence of effusion (b). Pericardial space was measured in naive pigs (baseline) and in animals after MI showing either pericardial effusion or adhesions (c); the latter were confirmed during thoracotomy (n=4).