Echocardiographic manifestations of infiltrative cardiomyopathy. A report of seven cases due to amyloid.

Echocardiography has been useful in the evaluation of congestive and hypertrophic cardiomyopathies. We present echocardiographic findings in seven patients with infiltrative cardiomyopathy due to amyloid. Cardiac amyloidosis was documented at autopsy in two patients, and the diagnosis was suggested by clinical, echocardiographic, tissue, or hemodynamic findings in the other five. Hemodynamic findings in three patients mimicked constrictive pericarditis; and autopsy was performed on one of the three and showed a normal pericardium. Underlying disorders were multiple myeloma (five patients), ankylosing spondylitis (one patient), and an unknown disorder (one patient). The basic echocardiographic findings in infiltrative cardiomyopathy due to amyloid were (1) symmetrically increased left ventricular wall thickness (in the absence of hypertension or aortic valvular disease), (2) hypokinesia and decreased systolic thickening of the interventricular septum and left ventricular posterior wall, and (3) small to normal size of the left ventricular cavity. Two patients also had small pericardial effusions. Thus, in a patient with congestive heart failure, these echocardiographic findings should suggest infiltrative cardiomyopathy.