Egg-shell calcification in Pick's disease (chronic constrictive pericarditis)

Abstract

Egg-shell calcification is rare in cases with constrictive pericarditis. It leads to significant right heart failure and the only treatment is surgical excision of the pericardium. We present a case of a 22-year-old-male who was diagnosed to have severe pericardial calcification on the chest X-ray, which eventually led to a diagnosis of constrictive pericarditis and required an early surgical correction. This case shows that a common diagnostic test such as a chest X-ray does help to diagnose a severe systemic condition.

Keywords

• Egg-shell calcification
• Constrictive pericarditis
• Surgical excision