Echokardiographie in der Endokarditisdiagnostik: transthorakal oder transösophageal?

Abstract

Echocardiography is an important tool for diagnosis and risk assessment in patients with infective endocarditis. In addition to the identification of typical vegetations, echocardiography is crucial for the evaluation of valvar regurgitations, and the early diagnosis of complications. Transesophageal echocardiography is, in nearly every aspect, except with concern to right-sided endocarditis, superior to the transthoracic approach. Thus, transesophageal echocardiography represents, in patients with substantial clinical suspicion for an active infection of endocardial structures, the currently most sensitive diagnostic tool.