MRI as guide to surgical approach in tuberculous pericardial abscess. Case report

In a 30-year-old man with tuberculous pericardial effusion and symptoms of constrictive pericarditis, 2-D echocardiography indicated localized effusion. Subsequent magnetic resonance imaging showed the effusion to be posterior and compressing the left ventricle. Guided by this information, pericardial resection with drainage of tuberculous abscess was performed via left anterior thoracotomy.