Adult Echocardiography Practice Exam

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is primarily characterized by the asymmetric thickening of the cardiac muscle, particularly involving the left ventricle. Common echocardiographic findings associated with HCM include various anomalies related to the left ventricle's structure and function.

The presence of a contact lesion on the left ventricular side can occur due to the interaction of the left ventricle with the mitral valve or septum, particularly during systole when obstruction and dynamic changes in the left ventricle can create pressure points. Aortic cusp sclerosis may also be noted, as patients with HCM can have concomitant degenerative changes in the aortic valve that may not significantly affect function but are more incidental findings in older adults. Moreover, mid-systolic notching of the aortic valve can emerge from abnormal flow dynamics resulting from left ventricular outflow tract obstruction, a hallmark of HCM.

In contrast, contact lesions on the right ventricular side are not typically associated with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The right ventricle does not exhibit the same degree of hypertrophy or functional abnormalities seen in the left ventricle with this condition, making this finding atypical in the context of HCM. Thus, it stands out