The differentiation of left ventricular aneurysm from diffuse left ventricular dilation and hypokinesia may have important therapeutic consequences. Thus the diagnostic accuracy of wide angle two dimensional echocardiography for the detection of left ventricular aneurysm was evaluated in a prospective study of 26 consecutive patients with the clinical suspicion of left ventricular aneurysm referred over a 10 month period. Every patients was examined with two dimensional echocardiography and left ventricular cineangiography, and findings were interpreted by two independent observers. A dilated hypokinetic left ventricle without aneurysm formation on cineangiography in nine patients was identified in all with two dimensional echocardiography. A left ventricular aneurysm on cineangiography in 17 patients was correctly identified in 14 with the two dimensional study, as were the site and extent of the lesion (apical in 12, anterior in 1 and inferior in 1). One apical aneurysm was interpreted on the two dimensional study as apical dyskinesia; one anterior and one posterobasal aneurysm were missed with this technique. Mural thrombi were correctly identified with two dimensional echocardiography in seven of seven patients. It is concluded that two dimensional echocardiography is an accurate noninvasive method that allows differentiation of left ventricular aneurysm from diffuse left ventricular dilation in the majority of patients. It provides information regarding the resectability of the aneurysm and may obviate cineangiography in many cases.