[Echocardiography in clinically suspected chronic cor pulmonale]

In a prospective study the echocardiography (M-mode-and two dimensional methodology) as well as the electrocardiography were tested in 40 patients with chronic bronchopulmonary diseases and suspicion of chronic cor pulmonale concerning their statements about right-ventricular hypertrophy and dilatation of the right-sided cavities of the heart.

In the question of right-ventricular hypertrophy the electrocardiography showed only a slight sensitiveness of 0.125. However, the echocardiographic criteria of the right-ventricular hypertrophy and of the dilatation of the right-sided cavities of the heart a sensitiveness of 0.809 and a specificity of 0.750. With only 3 out of 40 echocardiograms which could not be evaluated for reasons of the image quality the rate of the success of the echocardiographic investigation of 0.925 was significantly high in the group of patients who are difficult to be examined in this respect.