The role of echocardiography and pulsed Doppler in the congenital absence of the pericardium. Description of 2 cases

: Congenital absence of the left pericardium, partial or complete, is an uncommon cardiac defect. Most patients affected by this abnormality are asymptomatic. Usually it is suspected on the basis of a chest X-ray showing a normal sized cardiac shadow projecting entirely to the left of the spine. Computed axial tomography confirmed the absence of the left pericardium detecting the interposition of the left lung between the ascending aorta and main pulmonary artery. The M-mode, two-dimensional, and Doppler-cardiographic findings of complete congenital absence of the left pericardium are described in two cases. Imaging seems to be not specific for this abnormality; however in both cases pulsed Doppler detected mild tricuspid and pulmonic valve regurgitation.