Two-dimensional echocardiography can effectively document the embolization of a left ventricular mural thrombus following myocardial infarction.
Serial echocardiography may confirm post-MI thrombus embolization; hypothesis-generating and should not yet change practice.
A two-dimensional (2-D) echocardiogram in a 69-year-old man disclosed a septal-apical left ventricular thrombus six days after an acute anterior wall myocardial infarction. On the ninth hospital day, he suddenly experienced left-sided weakness and a left-sided field cut consistent with the diagnosis of a cerebrovascular accident (CVA). A repeated 2-D echocardiogram showed that the original mural thrombus had completely disappeared, which strongly supported an embolic event as the cause of the CVA. Two-dimensional echocardiography helped to verify the cause of this patient's neurologic problem. The mechanism and predisposing factors that led to a systemic embolism are discussed.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Stephen Arvan (1982) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 4 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: