Ultrasonography in pericardial effusion.

Four cases of pericardial effusion diagnosed by echocardiography are reported. While one of the four cases was referred for echocardiography with a diagnosis of pericardial effusion, the other three patients were selected for echocardiography on the basis of cardiomegaly demonstrated in plain x-ray chest examination. Real time echocardiography was considered to be most rapid, safe, convenient, accurate and least invasive method of diagnosing pericardial effusion.