Table 3.

Imaging modalities in pericardial cyst.

CT scan5, 47, 50, 51	•Characteristics: Single thin-walled, sharply defined, oval homogeneous masses without septation or solid component. No enhancement with intravenous contrast
	•Advantage:
	Lack of motion artefact- clear and sharp image  Short acquisition time
	•Disadvantage:  Erroneous reporting if protein content of fluid is increased. E.g., Infection, hemorrhage  Radiation  Lack of functional assessment  Hypersensitivity reaction to iodinated contrast  Need for breath holding
Cardiac MRI47, 23	•Characteristics: Intermediate- to low-intensity signal on T1-weighted sequences and high-signalintensity on T2-weighted sequences. No enhancement with intravenous contrast
	•Advantage:  Excellent soft tissue architecture
	Disadvantage:  Time consuming  High cost  Altered signalling if cyst protein content is high  Calcification less well visualised
Echocardiography31, 49	•Characteristics: A homogeneous echolucent mass with minor attenuation of the ultrasound through a low-density fluid-filled structure. There also exists an echo-free space indicating its separation from the cardiac chambers.
	•Advantage:  Safe  Low cost  May be performed on unstable patients  Diagnostic modality for follow up and image guided percutaneous aspiration
	•Disadvantage:  Limited windows, narrow field of view  Technical difficulties in case of obesity, obstructive lung disease or immediately post- cardiothoracic surgery  Localisation of cyst at uncommon location difficult  Operator dependent