Forward angiography in the identification of vegetations in tricuspid endocarditis

A patient with staphylococcal endocarditis of unknown valvular location and resistant to antibiotic therapy was studied in order to localize the site of infection prior to cardiac surger. The injection of contrast material into the right atrium visualized tricuspid vegetations which were confirmed at surgery. In such situations, forward angiographic studies constitute a safe, simple, and potentially diagnostic procedure which avoids the hazards of advancing a catheter across an infected valve.