Premature opening of the pulmonary valve in endomyocardial fibrosis.
Two-dimensional and Doppler echocardiographic findings in a 67-year-old man with endomyocardial fibrosis (EMF) are described. The two-dimensional echocardiogram showed typical features of EMF, right ventricular endomyocardial calcification, a thickened right ventricular wall, obliteration of the apex of the right ventricle and marked dilatation of the right atrium. In addition, premature opening of the pulmonary valve was observed during late diastole. The Doppler echocardiogram revealed forward flow from the right ventricle to the pulmonary artery, indicating the conduit state of the right ventricle. These findings were supported by cardiac catheterization and autopsy. Thus, two-dimensional and Doppler echocardiography are useful not only in making the diagnosis, but also in understanding the hemodynamic condition in EMF.
Okamoto
M
M
First Department of Internal Medicine, Hiroshima University School of Medicine, Japan.
Amioka
H
H
Hashimoto
M
M
Shimamoto
H
H
Sakura
E
E
Yokote
Y
Y
Yamagata
T
T
Tsuchioka
Y
Y
Matsuura
H
H
Kajiyama
G
G
D000368:Aged; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization; D003971:Diastole; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods; D004699:Endocardium / Q000473:pathology; D004719:Endomyocardial Fibrosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011664:Pulmonary Valve / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013599:Systole