In myocarditis, which echocardiographic finding is commonly seen?

• A. Global hypokinesis with reduced ejection fraction
• B. Normal wall motion with preserved ejection fraction
• C. Localized anterior wall thickening
• D. Hyperdynamic left ventricle without dysfunction

Answer: (A)

Myocardial inflammation weakens the heart’s ability to contract, so echocardiography most often shows global systolic dysfunction with a reduced ejection fraction. This reflects diffuse involvement of the myocardium rather than a confined area supplied by a specific coronary artery. While mild disease or recovery can show near-normal function, the typical pattern in myocarditis is global wall-motion impairment with decreased EF. Localized anterior wall thickening is not characteristic of myocarditis, since inflammation usually affects the myocardium diffusely rather than causing focal hypertrophy. A hyperdynamic left ventricle without dysfunction suggests high-output states or other processes and doesn’t match the inflammatory injury to the myocardium.