Several Tests Used to Diagnose Infiltrative Cardiomyopathies

Each adds information that helps cardiologists understand what is affecting the heart muscle and impairing its function.

Published: November 21, 2022 Updated: May 14, 2024

Screen Shot 2022-11-17 at 11.28.32 AM — 1. An echocardiogram (echo) of the heart shows areas of abnormal wall thinning (arrows) in a patient with cardiac sarcoidosis. 2. In the same patient, a cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (cMRI) scan with gadolinium contrast confirms the presence of underlying scar and/or inflammation (areas of white shown by arrows) in a pattern typical for cardiac sarcoidosis. 3. Lastly, a cardiac positron emission tomgraphy (PET) scan shows the same areas to have active inflammation.

Infiltrative cardiomyopathies are diseases that typically cause the heart muscle to become stiff, dysfunctional and, sometimes, thickened from an accumulation of abnormal material within the muscle itself. This can be fibrosis (scar tissue), inflammatory tissue, a mineral such as iron or an abnormal protein such as amyloid.