A member asked:

Can a chest x-ray show peritonitis(fluid around the heart)?

6 doctors weighed in across 2 answers

Pericarditis?: Peritonitis is inflammation of the abdominal lining. Pericarditis is the inflammation of your heart sac and can be accompanied by pericardial effusion that can be seen as heart enlargement on a chest x-ray.

Answered 10/24/2015

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Dr. Michael Ein answered

Specializes in Infectious Disease

See below: Peritonitis is inflammation usually due to bacterial infection in the abdominal cavity. Pericarditis is inflammation of the pericardium which lines the outside of the heart. A cxr can determine if the heart is enlarged due to fluid surrounding it as often occurs with pericarditis. But this is a nonspecific finding. An ekg with a cardiac ultrasound would be the best for pericarditis evaluation.

Answered 10/24/2015

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