Constrictive pericarditis (CP) is a reduction in the elasticity, or stiffening, of the pericardium. This results in impaired filling of the heart with blood. Symptoms include, exercise intolerance, liver failure, dyspnea, and renal failure, Causes include: Viral infection, Tuberculosis (15% of cases). Surgery. Irradiation. Hemodialysis, Neoplasia with pericardial infiltration,. Bacterial, fungal, or parasitic infections. Inflammation after myocardial infarction (Dressler syndrome). Asbestosis . Autoimmune diseases. Imaging findings, such as calcifications and thickening of the pericardium, may be present, but the most reliable and most important findings are related to the filling pattern of the heart. Patients respond to a complete surgical pericardiectomy.