Cardiovascular imaging modalities in the diagnosis and management of rheumatic heart disease

Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa, where the capacity for diagnosis and evaluation of disease severity and complications is not always optimal. While the medical history and physical examination are important in the assessment of patients suspected to have RHD, cardiovascular imaging techniques are useful for confirmation of the diagnosis. Echocardiography is the workhorse modality for initial evaluation and...