Echocardiography in valvular vegetations

Echocardiography represents the only noninvasive technic available for detecting vegetations. In fact, the technic is more sensitive in indentifying these lesions than even angiography. The invasive examination is only capable of detecting very large valvular vegetations. Although echocardiography frequently discloses no abnormalities in patients with clinically suspected or proved bacterial endocarditis, the presence of vegetations can be very helpful in the management of these patients. In addition to identifying vegetations echocardiography can be of great assistance in demonstrating disruption of the affected valve and in identifying that valve which might require surgical replacement.