Clinical and echocardiographic spectrum of pericardial effusions in routine M-mode echocardiographic examinations of hospitalized patients.

In 123 (13.2%) out of 926 hospitalized patients pericardial effusions were diagnosed during routine M-mode echocardiographic examination. 53 (43.0%) presented a small (group 1), 31 (25.3%) a moderate (group 2) and 38 (31.7%) a great amount of fluid (group 3). Pericardial effusion could be diagnosed only by echocardiographic examination in 18 patients (34.0%) of the first group, in 8 (26.0%) of the second and in 7 (18.0%) of the third group. Routine M-mode echocardiographic examination in hospitalized patients allows the detection of small pericardial effusions often missed by conventional methods. This method also makes possible rapid diagnosis of pericardial effusion in cardiac patients in a critical condition or with haemodynamic disturbances sometimes difficult to identify.