Journal of the American College of Cardiology
M-mode echocardiography in constrictive pericarditis
Author + information
- Peter J. Engel, MD, FACC*,a,
- Noble O. Fowler, MD, FACC*,
- Chuwa Tei, MD†,
- Pravin M. Shah, MD, FACC†,
- Harry J. Driedger, MD*,
- Ralph Shabetai, MD, FACC‡,
- A. Daniel Harbin, MD* and
- Robert H. Franch, MD, FACC§
- ↵aAddress for reprints: Peter J. Engel, MD, Noninvasive Cardiac Laboratory, Division of Cardiology (ML #542), University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, 231 Bethesda Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio 45267.
Abstract
M-mode echocardiograms from 40 patients with proven constrictive pericarditis and 40 subjects without evidence of cardiac disease were reviewed for features previously described in constrictive pericarditis. In this large series, no single feature of the M-mode echocardiogram could be considered diagnostic, although a pattern of normal left ventricular size and systolic function, mild left atrial dilation, flattened diastolic left ventricular posterior wall motion and abnormal septal motion was found in most patients. It is concluded that the M-mode echocardiogram can provide findings suggestive of constrictive pericarditis but must be used in conjunction with hemodynamic and other studies to establish the diagnosis.
- Received December 17, 1984.
- Revision received March 6, 1985.
- Accepted March 29, 1985.
- American College of Cardiology Foundation
