Infective endocarditis of the aorta valve--demonstration of valvular vegetations by M-Mode and Cross-Sectional echocardiography.

Infective endocarditis is still a serious, potentially fatal disease despite newer antimicrobial agents. Drug treatment of infective endocarditis is frequently instituted on a presumptive diagnosis based on strong clinical suspicion and usually prior to bacteriological confirmation. The ability to visualise valvular vegetations by echocardiography serves as a useful aid in the diagnosis and management of patients with infective endocarditis. Being a non-invasive procedure echocardiography presents no risk to the patient. It may be performed on critically ill patients and repeated examinations are easily carried out with no additional risks.