Incremental value of multimodal imaging in the evaluation of complicated prosthetic valve endocarditis

Abstract

A 47-year-old male patient was admitted to the hospital with complaints of fever (38.3°C), palpitations, chills, and weakness. He had undergone a surgical graft interposition repair of the ascending aorta and aortic valve replacement (AVR) (No. 19; St. Jude Medical Inc., St. Paul, MN, USA) of the bicuspid aortic valve with severe aortic stenosis and an ascending aortic aneurysm 2 years earlier. Laboratory tests indicated a high erythrocyte sedimentation rate and an elevated white blood count and C-reactive protein level.