ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY IN INFECTIVE ENDOCARDITIS - LACK OF SPECIFICITY IN PATIENTS WITH VALVULAR PATHOLOGY

Authors:
  • WMW Markiewicz
    W Markiewicz
  • BPB Peled
    B Peled
  • GAG Alroy
    G Alroy
  • SPS Pollack
    S Pollack
  • GBG Brook
    G Brook
  • JRJ Rapoport
    J Rapoport
  • HKH Kerner
    H Kerner
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  • 1 January 1979
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 10  (4) , 247-257
    • PMID:499283
Abstract
Patients (59) with suspected infective endocarditis on a natural valve were studied by M-mode echocardiography to determine the specificity of the ultrasonic technique in detecting valvular vegetations. All echocardigrams were read independently by 2 observers who were unaware of the final diagnosis. Among 40 patients who did not have infective endocarditis, two (5%) were diagnosed by echocardiography as having possible or probable vegetation by at least 1 observer. Both patients with a false positive diagnosis of vegetation had pre-existing valvular pathoology, the presence of which greatly complicated interpretation of the echocardiogram. Inter-observer disagreement occurred in 5 of the 59 studies (8.5%). Caution should probably be exerted in the echocardiographic diagnosis of vegetation in patients with pre-existing valvular pathology.