Diagnosis of Epipericardial Fat Necrosis on multimodality imaging in a pediatric patient: a case report and review of the literature

Authors

  • Lama Alomari
  • Ayman Khushaim

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3941/jrcr.v14i5.3971

Keywords:

Epipericardial fat necrosis, pericardium, pleuritic chest pain, Computed Tomography, Ultrasound, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, pediatrics

Abstract

This is a case report of a 13-year-old male, presented to the Emergency Department complaining of a sudden onset left-sided pleuritic chest pain for 1 day. He was found to have a mass in the left Epipericardial fat with fat stranding and pleural effusion supporting the diagnosis of Epipericardial Fat Necrosis. The findings were established by Computed tomography and Ultrasound, and the final diagnosis was confirmed by Magnetic resonance imaging. Subsequently, the patient was discharged on analgesia; re-assessment one-month later showed clinical improvement with no symptom recurrence. Repeated Ultrasound demonstrated a marked decrease in size and echogenicity of the mass. In this paper we review the clinical and radiological manifestations of Epipericardial fat necrosis and the different management approaches taken over the years.

Author Biographies

Lama Alomari

Associate consultant of Emergency Medicine

Ayman Khushaim

Pediatric Neuroradiology fellow

Published

2020-05-26

Issue

Section

Pediatric Radiology