The role of cross-sectional echocardiography in the diagnosis of flail mitral leaflet.

Cross-sectional echocardiography was performed on two patients with mitral regurgitation in whom M-mode echocardiographic findings were not specific for the etiology of mitral regurgitation. In one patient, flail motion of the free edge of the anterior mitral leaflet into the left atrium was demonstrated only by cross-sectional echocardiograms. In the second patient, the flail posterior mitral leaflet was suggested to be a result of bacterial endocarditis. Cross-sectional echocardiograms clearly identified a flail motion of a mass of vegetation attached to the posterior mitral leaflet. Thus, cross-sectional echocardiography can provide critical information in recognizing patients with a flail mitral leaflet.