Pericarditis - Bacterial

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Diagnosis & Tests

When listening to the heart through a stethoscope, the health care provider may be able to hear a pericardial rubbing sound, and heart sounds may be faint or distant. There may be other signs of fluid in the pericardium (pericardial effusion).

If the disorder is severe, there may be signs of fluid in the space around the lungs (pleural effusion), such as decreased breath sounds. The person may appear toxic (septic shock) and critically ill. There may be signs of associated pneumonia.

Doctors may suspect this disorder when one of the following tests shows an abnormal amount of fluid in the pericardial sac:

• chest X-ray
• echocardiogram
• chest MRI scan
• chest CT scan

This condition is diagnosed when the fluid around the pericardial sac is shown to be infected with bacteria. The following tests help doctors make this diagnosis

• blood cultures
• pericardial fluid Gram stain
• pericardial fluid culture
• a CBC showing increased WBC count