What question did this study set out to answer?

To demonstrate the effectiveness of focused cardiac ultrasound in diagnosing early-stage acute myocarditis in a child.

January 10, 2026Cureus0 citationsOpen Access

A Case of Early-Stage Acute Myocarditis in a Child Detected by Focused Cardiac Ultrasound

CTCi Zhuang TehKK Women's and Children's Hospital TMTakaaki MoriKK Women's and Children's Hospital

Key Result

Focused cardiac ultrasound (FoCUS) detected acute myocarditis with moderately reduced ejection fraction in a child, enabling timely intervention and improved outcomes.

Key Points

To demonstrate the effectiveness of focused cardiac ultrasound in diagnosing early-stage acute myocarditis in a child.
Conducted focused cardiac ultrasound on a child presenting with symptoms.
Analyzed findings to assess myocardial inflammation.
Utilized echocardiography to visualize heart function.
The ultrasound indicated signs of early myocardial inflammation.
Cardiac function assessment showed abnormalities associated with myocarditis.
Timely diagnosis prompted appropriate management for the child.

Structured PICO

Population

A previously healthy 2-year-old girl presenting with a three-day history of fever, cough, rhinorrhoea, vomiting, and epigastric pain, later diagnosed with acute myocarditis.

Intervention

Focused cardiac ultrasound (FoCUS) performed by a pediatric emergency physician

Outcome

Detection of acute myocarditis (decreased left ventricular ejection fraction and distended inferior vena cava)surrogate

Focused cardiac ultrasound (FoCUS) can facilitate the early detection of acute myocarditis in pediatric patients presenting with nonspecific symptoms, enabling timely life-saving interventions.

Main Result

Absolute Event Rate: 0% vs 0%

Abstract

Myocarditis in children is a life-threatening condition requiring prompt diagnosis and intervention. Its nonspecific signs and symptoms often mimic those of common viral illnesses and pose significant diagnostic challenges. Focused cardiac ultrasound (FoCUS) has recently been used for cardiac assessment in paediatric emergency care; however, reports on its use in diagnosing myocarditis are limited. We herein report a case of early-stage acute myocarditis detected by FoCUS. A previously healthy two-year-old girl presented with a three-day history of fever, and vomiting for one day. During the initial assessment, the patient was lethargic with slight tachycardia, but the physical examination results were unremarkable. She was treated for viral gastritis with oral ondansetron and a oral rehydration solution. However, she exhibited worsened tachycardia with a heart rate of 150 beats per minute and a gallop rhythm after the initial treatment. Electrocardiography showed sinus rhythm with a right bundle branch block; however, chest radiography was normal. FoCUS revealed a moderately reduced ejection fraction and distended inferior vena cava, suggesting acute myocarditis. She was referred to a paediatric cardiologist and echocardiography revealed similar findings. Cardiac enzymes levels were significantly elevated with a troponin T of 15,089 ng/l. Acute myocarditis was diagnosed, and the patient was admitted to the intensive care unit, where she underwent extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). The patient was hospitalized for 13 days and was then discharged. FoCUS enables direct assessment of cardiac function, facilitating early diagnosis of critical conditions and improving outcomes.

Ask AI

Helpful

Bookmark

View Full Paper