Up to day the visualization and evaluation of inflammatory heart diseases, such as myocarditis, is one of the most important, yet non-solved problems of modern cardiology. Diagnostical algorithm suggested by NYHA (1964, 1973), based on clinical and/or laboratory criteria which are variable, non-specific and often equivocal. For the confirmation of myocarditis one must use biopsy, labeled WBC scintigraphy or CE-MRI that are expensive and potentially hazardous. In everyday practice there is a need of cheap, easy-to-perform, non-invasive, highly informative and specific visualization modalities for inflammation...

49 patients with different signs of acute or mild myocarditis and 7 healthy subjects (control group) were examined. All patients underwent myocardial single-photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT) with 99Tc-labelled leukocytes for the IMI detection and myocardial perfusion (MP) was assessed by means of SPECT with 99Tc-MIBI for the MF definition.Left ventricle ultrasonic densitometry performed in long axis views from left parasternal border at end-systole and end-diastole. Using these values the percentage cyclic variation indexes (CVI) were calculated.

Based on scintigraphic data patients were divided into 3 groups: first 20 patients with diffuse leukocytes uptake and normal MP that considered as IMI without MF; in 2 group there were 19 patients with local leukocytes uptake and abnormal MP (IMI+MF); 3 group consisted of 10 patients without leucocyte infiltration but with low MP (only MF). In control group (n=7) there was no leukocytes uptake and MP was normal.There were statistically significant differences (P < 0,05) in duration of disease between mentioned groups: it was...

Echodensitometry is a feasible workflow with the abilities to reveal and evaluate pathologic changes in heart muscle, such as inflammatory WBC infiltration and fibrosis. The results of videodensitometry studies demonstrated that different types of IMI were associated with definite decrease of CVI percentage, while CVI became negative with MF appearance. Therefore this method will be helpful in differentiating myocarditis from its complication cardiosclerosis.

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I.E. Itskovitch, M.V. Deryugin, V.Y. Soukhov, S.A. Boytsov, E.F. Onischenko