The Role of Echocardiography in Acute Myocardial Infarction

Abstract

The: indications for echocardiography in the setting of acute m)'ocardial infarction are to identify wall motion abnormalities, to evaluate left and right n:ntricular function, and to exclude complications such as pericarditis, mitral regurgitation, and "entricular rupture. Doppler echocardiography can pro"idc important hemodynamic information. In the: near future, contrast echocardiography can be expected to delineate myocardial perfusion and three-dimensional echocardiography to better define infarct size.