The doctor will conduct a series of exams to check for possible pericardial effusion, this will be done to know the probable causes & know the treatment. For some of the tests, the doctor may refer you to a cardiologist to better assess your condition.

The essence of a medical examination

The doctor will do a medical check like listening to the heart thru a stethoscope. If the pericardium is swelling, the doctor might hear a high tone & horse sound known as friction rub. If there is a big quantity of fluid accumulated, the heartbeat may be muted or it may sound far.

ECG and its effect

ECG or echocardiogram might be used to check or diagnose pericardial effusion. An ECG will be used to check the sound waves to make a real time image of the heart. With this process, a cardiologist may see the degree of pericardial effusion that is based on the amount of space that is present just in between the 2 layers of the pericardium. An ECG will show the lessened heart function because of pressure on the heart or tamponade. The cardiologist can see if there is only 1 or more chambers of the heart that have collapsed and he/she will also see how efficient the heart in pumping the blood.

2 kinds of ECG

The cardiologist may see if there is 1 or more chambers of the heart that have collapsed and how good the heart is in pumping the blood.  It’s best to also know the 2 kinds of ECG like Transthoracic echocardiogram, which is sound emitting device that is typically placed on the chest over the heart.  The other one is transesophageal ECG. This kind of ECG commonly uses a small transducer on a tube that will be inserted to the part of the digestive tract that runs through the throat and the stomach. This is due to the closeness of the esophagus to the heart. It will help in providing a well detailed image of the heart.

Electrocardiogram and its essence

Electrocardiogram is also known as ECG, it is also called EKG. This device helps by recording the electrical signals as they travel the heart. The cardiologist will be the one to do the test and to analyze the results from the tests made.

Chest x-ray and its importance

A chest x ray is commonly used to check the condition of the lungs; little did you know that it can also help in detecting some heart problems. It can help by showing a silhouette of the heart if there is fluid inside the pericardium.

Other technologies that can be used for imaging

CT scan or computerized tomography can be used to scan along with MRI or magnetic resonance imaging. These are technologies that can be used to know if there is pericardial effusion, even if they are not actually used to look for the problem. On the other hand, pericardial effusion might be detected when the tests conducted are done for some other reasons.