Enlargement of cardiac silhouette due to pericardial effusion

Enlargement of cardiac silhouette due to pericardial effusion

Enlargement of cardiac silhouette due to pericardial effusionThe best evidence that enlargement of the cardiac silhouette on chest X-ray is due pericardial effusion is the demonstration of serial change, either an increase or a decrease with treatment.

The second image demonstrates a smaller cardiac silhouette after clearance of pericardial effusion with treatment, which was also documented by echocardiography.