Cinematic rendering of penetrating cardiac injury

Although rare, penetrating cardiac injury (PCI) is highly lethal, with survival rates reported to be as low as 20%. Mechanism of injury, anatomic involvement, and hemodynamic stability are all key determinants in patient outcomes. While unstable patients require immediate surgical intervention, computed tomography has emerged as the preferred diagnostic modality in hemodynamically stable individuals, given its ability to efficiently detect foreign bodies, hemopericardium, and other associated complications. Furthermore, a recently developed photorealistic post-processing technique, cinematic rendering, has shown promise due to its enhanced visualization of myocardial involvement and guidance of management and preoperative planning. In this article, we report the case of a 29-year-old male who presented to the emergency department due to a self-inflicted stabbing PCI. We focus on the critical role of computed tomography in evaluating PCIs and introduce cinematic rendering as a potential valuable adjunct to preoperative planning.