Italian 
English Preziose informazioni dall’esame del liquido pericardico
Valuable information from the examination of the pericardial fluid
AUTORI
1UOC Laboratorio Analisi, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milano
2UOC Anatomia Patologica, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milano
ABSTRACT
Valuable information from the examination of the pericardial fluid
A 63-year-old man, without previously known cancer disease, arrived at the Emergency room because of severe dyspnea. Electrocardiogram revealed right branch block and low ventricular repolarization voltages. Chest X ray and echocardiogram, instead, showed right pleural effusion and cardiac massive effusion. The patient underwent pericardiocentesis. The morphological study of pericardial fluid revealed the presence of numerous nonhematopoietic cells and the patient was admitted to the hosptital Thoracentesis was performed during hospitalization. The analysis of pleural fluid showed similar results to those obtained in pericardial fluid. A subsequent paracentesis was performed. Accordingly, this fluid showed similar atypical cells. Adenopathy in the supraclavicular area was found at the TC scan. Lymphnode biopsy confirmed a poorly differentiated proliferation, consistent with squamous cell carcinoma. In conclusion, morphological analysis of the pericardial fluid is a simple examination that, in a short time, may alert about the presence of unexpected atypical cells.