[Contribution of echocardiography and Holter monitoring to the diagnosis of occult sources of cerebral embolism].

112 echocardiographies and 91 long-term Holter recordings were performed looking for an emboligenic cardiac lesion in patients in sinus rhythm and free of any major carotid atherosclerosis. The results were evaluated in relation to the emboligenic potential of the lesions observed. 5 positive results were obtained (4.46%) on echocardiography (3 aneurysms of the interatrial septum, 1 myxoma and 1 endocarditis) and 10 positive results (10.99%) were demonstrated on the Holter monitor. Among the 45 (40.18%) echocardiographic anomalies capable of constituting a cardiac site of origin of emboli, there were 18 cases of dilatation or hypertrophy of the left chambers of the heart, 13 cases of calcification of the aortic valve, 8 cases of prolapse of the mitral valve and 8 cases of calcification of the mitral ring. Finally, 55.35 per cent of the echocardiographic examinations and 52.74 per cent of the Holter examinations were found to be normal. Although the yield of these examinations is low, the anomalies discovered were definitely responsible for the cerebral emboli and could only have been demonstrated by such investigations.