Echocardiography in acute infectious myocarditis.

Two cases of acute infectious myocarditis are reported, of which one was fatal. Echocardiographic features included normal left ventricular size with diffuse asynergy of the wall movements, increased right ventricular size, an echocardiographic pattern of thickened posterior pericardium, and also mural thrombus of the left ventricle in the fatal case. These echocardiographic changes were totally reversible in the nonfatal case. Hence, because of acute fulminant myocarditis, the left ventricle may be noncompliant, with poor systolic function leading to pulmonic edema and even death.