Chagas' cardiomyopathy

The M mode echocardiographic scan (from the left ventricular apex to aortic root) from a patient with Chagas' cardiomopathy shows a dilated left ventricle (LV) and left atrium (LA) and the posterior wall (PW) shows very little systolic thickening while the septal (S) motion is exaggerated. There is significant mitral valve (MV)-S separation. This picture is somewhat similar to that encountered in patients with inferior infarction and mitral regurgitation.