Right ventricular wall motion was studied in 18 patients hospitalized for acute myocardial infarction by means of cross-sectional echocardiography. Diagnosis of right ventricle myocardial infarction was made on the basis of clinical, electrocardiographic, hemodynamic criteria, respectively present in 66%, 80% and 66% of our patients. Echocardiographic criteria of right ventricle infarction were: 1) right ventricle dilatation; 2) segmental or global right ventricle wall motion abnormalities; 3) paradoxical motion of interventricular septum; 4) tricuspid insufficiency; 5) inferior cava vein dilatation with paradoxical respiratory pattern. Seven patients were studied by means of radionuclide techniques, that confirmed right ventricle infarction in 6 patients. We conclude that: 1) the most accurate echocardiographic views for right ventricle wall motion study are subcostal views and, in particular, the subcostal short-axis (OAS 60 degrees); 2) those patients (12/18) with a specific echocardiographic pattern for right ventricle infarction presented a specific clinical and hemodynamic picture; 3) those patients (6/18) with only segmental right ventricular wall motion abnormalities presented an aspecific clinical and hemodynamic picture. Moreover we showed that an improvement of right ventricular wall motion was observed in some cases within a few days of the infarction. Further observations are needed to assess the frequency and late prognosis of acute right ventricle infarction.