Clinical merit of endomyocardial biopsy.
At this time, endomyocardial biopsy has proven validity as a diagnostic method in few circumstances. However, it is overused. In the near term, the extent of its use should be modified by knowledge of its therapeutic relevance in patients with myocarditis. In the long term, numerous new techniques for studying pathophysiology at the subcellular and molecular levels will demand a central role for endomyocardial biopsy in the diagnosis, treatment and fundamental understanding of myocardial diseases. We believe that endomyocardial biopsy will serve as an indispensible link between basic scientists and clinicians in the effort to describe disease mechanisms.
Mason
J W
JW
Cardiology Division, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City 84132.
O'Connell
J B
JB
D001706:Biopsy; D002311:Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / Q000473:pathology; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004699:Endocardium / Q000473:pathology*; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D009205:Myocarditis / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology*