Carcinoid heart disease: correlation of echocardiographic and histopathological findings

Valvular dysfunction in carcinoid heart disease is caused by proliferation of endocardial fibroblasts in response to chronic inflammation, or induced by circulating vasoactive mediators. 1 Deposition of plaques on the valve leaflets and subvalvular apparatus results in thickening, retraction, impaired leaflet motion and greatly enhanced echogenicity. 2 Learning points Echocardiography imaging in carcinoid heart disease demonstrates the classical findings of thickening and retraction of the valve leaflets with coaptation failure due to plaque deposition.