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[Cardiac MRI in suspected myocarditis]
O Rieker1, O Mohrs, K Oberholzer
1Klinik für Radiologie der Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, Germany. rieker@radiologie.klinik.uni-mainz.de
Rofo : Fortschritte Auf Dem Gebiete Der Rontgenstrahlen Und Der Nuklearmedizin
|December 10, 2002
Summary
Electrocardiogram (ECG)-gated breath-hold cardiac MRI shows promise in diagnosing acute myocarditis. This imaging technique can also help identify cardiac sarcoidosis, with late gadolinium enhancement visible in both conditions.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Radiology
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Acute myocarditis is an inflammatory condition of the heart muscle.
- Accurate diagnosis is crucial for timely treatment and improved patient outcomes.
- Cardiac MRI offers a non-invasive method for evaluating myocardial disease.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the diagnostic utility of ECG-gated breath-hold MRI for acute myocarditis.
- To determine the ability of cardiac MRI to differentiate myocarditis from other cardiac conditions.
Main Methods:
- Cardiac MRI, including ECG-gated breath-hold T2-weighted and T1-weighted sequences, was performed on 21 patients with suspected myocarditis.
- Gadolinium-DTPA contrast was administered for T1-weighted imaging.
- Laboratory tests, ECG, and echocardiography were used for comparison.
- Imaging findings were correlated with discharge diagnoses.
Main Results:
- Cardiac MRI diagnosed acute myocarditis in 9 patients and cardiac sarcoidosis in 2.
- Late gadolinium enhancement was detected in 4 patients with myocarditis and both with sarcoidosis.
- Semiquantitative analysis yielded 9 true positives, 9 true negatives, 1 false positive, and 2 false negatives.
Conclusions:
- ECG-gated breath-hold cardiac MRI is a valuable tool for detecting acute myocarditis.
- Cardiac MRI can aid in the diagnosis of cardiac sarcoidosis.
- Late gadolinium enhancement patterns are observed in both viral myocarditis and cardiac sarcoidosis.