[Usefulness of echocardiography in the diagnosis of bacterial endocarditis]

Echocardiographic demonstration of vegetations has been achieved in 11 out of 19 patients with bacterial endocarditis. The present study shows that echocardiography is particularly useful in patients in whom the duration of symptoms before treatment is greater than 6 weeks. It also shows that a positive echocardiogram is indicative of a poor prognosis.