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Index / Incidental findings

Incidental pericardial findings

ACR 2018CT
Flowchart · click to enlarge
Incidental, asymptomatic pericardial abnormality

Incidental pericardial cyst, effusion, thickening or calcification on chest CT.

FindingNormal / threshold
Pericardial thickness1–2 mm normal; > 3–4 mm abnormal
Pericardial fluidUp to 50 mL can be physiologic
Cyst≤ 10 HU: no work-up; > 10 HU: as below
  • Cyst > 10 HU, thickening, fluid > 50 mL or calcification: look for an explaining disease; if none, consider MRI or short-term CT follow-up.

Sources

  1. Munden RF, Carter BW, Chiles C, et al. Managing incidental findings on thoracic CT: mediastinal and cardiovascular findings. A white paper of the ACR Incidental Findings Committee. J Am Coll Radiol. 2018;15:1087–1096.PubMed ↗
PreviousIncidental mediastinal lymph node

Radessential summarizes published classification systems for practicing radiologists. Summaries are condensed; confirm details against the cited source before relying on them for patient care.