title: Cardiac involvement after respiratory tract viral infection--detection by cardiac magnetic resonance.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of our study was to investigate whether cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging can detect early myocardial tissue edema as a first step in the development of myocarditis.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined 36 consecutive patients who were presented with symptoms of fatigue, weakness, and/or palpitations after respiratory tract infection but normal left ventricular function and compared these patients with 21 consecutive controls without acute symptoms. Electrocardiogram-triggered, T2-weighted, fast spin echo triple-inversion recovery sequences were performed in all patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found a significant difference between patients with suspected myocarditis and controls in global myocardial signal intensity. The ratio of global myocardial signal intensity/muscle signal intensity was 2.4 +/- 0.3 in patients and 1.9 +/- 0.3 in controls, which was highly significant (P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with symptoms of fatigue, weakness, and/or palpitations after respiratory tract infection showed an elevated signal intensity of the myocardium, indicating edematous tissue, which may be the first step in the development of myocarditis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology and Angiology, Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg, Nuernberg, Germany. info@Praxis-Jeserich.de
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jeserich
authors.forename: Manfred
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Olschewski
authors.forename: Thorsten
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bley
authors.forename: Nico
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Merkle
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kirchberger
authors.forename: Gabor
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pavlik
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bode
authors.forename: Annette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Geibel
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009205:Myocarditis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*