Echocardiographic features of tropical endomyocardial disease in South India.
Fifteen patients with tropical endomyocardial disease which had been proved angiographically were studied using M-mode and cross-sectional echocardiography to determine the extent to which specific features of this disease could be recognised by these non-invasive methods. Tethering of the posterior mitral valve leaflet to the ventricular wall in combination with areas of echo-dense material in the posterior left ventricular wall and associated papillary muscle appeared to be a constant diagnostic feature of this disease. Colour coding of regional echo amplitude showed high intensity echoes in a distribution corresponding closely to that of the fibrosis known to occur in this condition. Though M-mode echocardiography did not contribute diagnostic information, it was useful in defining the functional consequences of myocardial or mitral valve disease. Digitisation of records allowed a restrictive pattern of left ventricular filling to be observed. It was concluded that cross-sectional echocardiography, particularly when supplemented by colour coded amplitude processing, can make a confident non-invasive diagnosis of tropical endomyocardial disease and so could be useful in assessing its progression or response to treatment.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003116:Color; D003626:Data Display; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods; D004719:Endomyocardial Fibrosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged