title: Echocardiographic diagnosis of myocardial abscess complicating myocardial infarction.
abstract: The relative incidence of myocardial abscesses occurring in the presence of acute or chronic ischemic heart disease is unknown. Clinical presentation usually involves nonspecific signs of sepsis, and the diagnosis often becomes apparent only when extensive myocardial destruction has occurred. Early diagnosis can greatly reduce morbidity and mortality rates. Echocardiography is a readily accessible and accurate method of diagnosing abscesses both in the presence or absence of endocarditis. We describe the appearance of a myocardial abscess complicating myocardial infarction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ghani
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Boughner
mesh_terms: D000038:Abscess / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004452:Echocardiography; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D006095:Gram-Positive Cocci; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009200:Myocardial Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000502:physiology