TUBERCULOUS CONSTRICTIVE PERICARDITIS DETECTED ON POSITRON EMISSION TOMOGRAPHY

: A 72-year-old man presented with fever, dyspnea, and weight loss. He was referred to our hospital for further examination of the cause of the pleural effusions. Chest computed tomography showed pleural effusions, a pericardial effusion, and enlarged lymph nodes in the carina tracheae. We administered treatment for heart failure and conducted analyses for a malignant tumor. The pericardial effusion improved, but the pericardium was thickened. Positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) showed fluorine-18 deoxyglucose accumulation at the superior fovea of the right clavicle, carina tracheae, superior mediastinum lymph nodes, and a thickened pericardium. Because these findings did not suggest malignancy, we assumed this was a tuberculous lesion. Echocardiography confirmed this finding as constrictive pericarditis; therefore, pericardiolysis was performed. Pathological examination showed features of caseous necrosis and granulomatous changes. Hence, the patient was diagnosed with tuberculous constrictive pericarditis. PET-CT serves as a useful tool for the diagnosis of tuberculous pericarditis.