Calcific constrictive pericarditis demonstrated on 99mTc-MDP bone scintigraphy

Abstract

The authors present a case of calcific constrictive pericarditis, imaged with bone scintigraphy.  The patient presented with three months of shortness of breath, chest pain, and chest tightness during exercise, among other nonspecific symptoms.  Although the diagnosis was made based on chest radiography and cardiac MRI, bone scintigraphy was used to corroborate the diagnosis of calcific constrictive pericarditis.  Bone scintigraphy showed a pattern of tracer accumulation consistent with pericardial uptake.  Calcific constrictive pericarditis was also confirmed at the time of surgery.