The role of echocardiography in suspected infective endocarditis.

In 14 of 15 patients initially suspected of having infective endocarditis echocardiography accurately predicted the final diagnosis. Echocardiography is particularly valuable in culture negative cases and in excluding patients with other conditions whose clinical features mimic those of infective endocarditis. The presence of fibrosed aortic valve cusps resulted in one false positive diagnosis of valvular vegetations.