Intrapericardial Doppler Flow Signals in a Patient with Postsurgical Pericardial Effusion

A 62-year-old female patient was admitted to our hospital because of a relapse of pericardial effusion complicating a recent aortic root replacement. At admission to our hospital, echocardiogram showed the reappearance of pericardial effusion and the presence of intrapericardial clots. Color Doppler and Pulsed–wave examinations showed a localized systolic flow within the pericardial space. Contrast enhanced computed tomography excluded abnormal communications with the cardiac chambers or with the aorta. The possible causes of this unusual Doppler finding are discussed.