Abstract
We report a case of restrictive cardiomyopathy in which a distinct endothelial thickening of the atrial wall and pulmonary vein orifices was noted on transesophageal echocardiography. Echocardiographically guided endomyocardial biopsy of the thickening revealed an inflammatory infiltrate that was rich in giant cells and provided important clues about an underlying immune mechanism for the pathogenesis. Positive results from the antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody assay supported the diagnosis of Wegener's granulomatosis. After immunosuppressive therapy, the endomyocardial thickening completely resolved, but the restrictive cardiomyopathy did not reverse.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 1073-1076 |
Number of pages | 4 |
Journal | Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography |
Volume | 17 |
Issue number | 10 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Oct 2004 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Radiology Nuclear Medicine and imaging
- Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine