title: Myocardial abscess: a rare complication of valvular endocarditis demonstrated by 3D contrast echocardiography.
abstract: Myocardial abscess is a rare and often fatal complication of valvular endocarditis. We present a case of a patient with aortic valve endocarditis whose post-operative course was complicated by a large left ventricular abscess. The spatial location of the defect was difficult to assess with 2D transthoracic echocardiography (TTE); however, real-time 3D contrast TTE allowed us to visualize the full extent of the defect and its precise anatomical location, prior to successful surgical resection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology and Cardiothoracic Surgery, King's College Hospital, London SE5 9RS, UK.
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.forename: Amit
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bhan
authors.forename: Jatin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Desai
authors.forename: Mark J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Monaghan
mesh_terms: D000038:Abscess / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D001022:Aortic Valve Insufficiency / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000601:surgery; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods*; D019560:Echocardiography, Three-Dimensional; D004696:Endocarditis / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging