Myocarditis refers to an underlying process that causes inflammation and injury of the heart. It does not refer to inflammation of the heart as a consequence of some other insult. Many secondary causes, such as a heart attack, can lead to inflammation of the myocardium and therefore the diagnosis of myocarditis can not be made by evidence of inflammation of the myocardium alone.
Myocardial inflammation can be suspected on the basis of electrocardiographic results (ECG), elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) and/or Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and increased IgM (serology) against viruses known to affect the myocardium. Markers of myocardial damage (troponin or creatine kinase cardiac isoenzymes) are elevated.
Recently, consensus criteria for the diagnosis of myocarditis by CMR have been published
Further Reading
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