Imaging-Guided Therapies for Pericardial Diseases

Frequently, multimodality imaging is indispensable in the care of patients with pericardial disease. With cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, pericardial inflammation can be characterized as acute, subacute, or chronic. This spectrum of inflammation is variably associated with reduced compliance of the pericardium, which may result in constrictive pathophysiology, typically well-defined with echocardiography. This interplay between inflammation and hemodynamics is often optimally characterized with multimodality imaging and has redefined the approach of pericardiologists to diagnose, prognosticate, and tailor individual therapies. [Display omitted] •Cardiac imaging is important in diagnosing acute and chronic pericardial inflammation.•Cardiac imaging has redefined the approach of pericardiologists to diagnosis.•Image-guided therapies can improve overall outcomes and shorten durations of therapy.