Dilated cardiomyopathy

M-mode scan of the heart is obtained by moving the transducer from a cephalad to caudal direction, recording the aortic root, mitral valve and mitral valve annulus, and the left ventricular chamber. In this patient with a severe dilated cardiomyopathy, there is significant enlargement of the left atrium and left ventricle. In addition, the septum and posterior left ventricular wall are thinned and hypokinetic.