Chia, B. L., Da Costa, J. L., and Ransome, G. A. (1973).Thorax, 28, 657-659. Cardiac tamponade due to leukaemic pericardial effusion. A 19-year-old Chinese woman was admitted to hospital with cardiac tamponade. Pericardial fluid analysis and other investigations failed to reveal a cause of the pericardial effusion and she was treated as for tuberculous pericarditis. Subsequently haematological investigations showed that she was suffering from an acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.