Cardiac involvement after respiratory tract viral infection--detection by cardiac magnetic resonance.
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.
Jeserich
Michael
M
Department of Cardiology and Angiology, Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg, Nuernberg, Germany. info@Praxis-Jeserich.de
Olschewski
Manfred
M
Bley
Thorsten
T
Merkle
Nico
N
Kirchberger
Joachim
J
Pavlik
Gabor
G
Bode
Christoph
C
Geibel
Annette
A
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*