[Diagnostic imaging methods of cardiac dysfunction caused by cardiotoxicity of oncological therapy]

Cardiotoxicity of chemotherapy is a serious complication of oncological treatment. Assessment of cardiac function before, during and after cardiotoxic chemotherapy course should be a standard procedure in oncology. There are several methods for evaluation of the changes in myocardium such as: electrocardiography, radiology techniques (RTG, CT, MRI, PET-CT, PET-MRI), echocardiography, radioisotope imaging techniques (scyntygraphy, MUGA, PET), and ultra-structure evaluation in biopsy samples. Nevertheless, there is a continuous need for new diagnostic methods of cardiac dysfunction of great predictive and prognostic importance. Unfortunately advanced imaging techniques are still not available in many oncological centers in Poland. Nowadays to evaluate potential cardiotoxicity of drugs in oncology it is postulated to perform serial echocardiographic examinations as a basal imaging method. Thus constant cooperation between cardiologist and oncologist plays crucial role during chemotherapy.