Relationship between cardioscopic images and histological changes in the left ventricle of patients with idiopathic myocarditis(†)

AIMS: Endomyocardial biopsy is essential for definite diagnosis of idiopathic myocarditis. However, since endomyocardial biopsy is guided by fluoroscopy, whether or not the diseased myocardium is biopsied depends on chance, and this may lead to misdiagnosis. If the endocardial surface represents changes indicative of stages of myocarditis, staging of myocarditis and targeted cardioscope-guided biopsy could be used for accurate histological diagnosis. METHODS AND RESULTS: The relationship between left ventricular endocardial surface colour observed by cardioscopy and biopsy findings were examined in 78 patients with suspected idiopathic myocarditis. Of these, 59 patients were diagnosed histologically as idiopathic myocarditis. Endocardial colour was classified into red, milky white, purple, yellowish brown, or white. Biopsied specimens with red and milky white wall segments exhibited histological changes compatible with acute myocarditis; purple segments, active chronic myocarditis; and yellowish brown and white segments, inactive chronic myocarditis. The sensitivity, specificity, and predictive value of red and milky white colours for detecting acute myocarditis were 100, 100, and 100%, respectively; of purple for detecting active chronic myocarditis were 83, 92, and 78%, respectively; and yellowish brown and white for detecting inactive chronic myocarditis were 82, 74, and 53, respectively. CONCLUSION: Red and milky white endocardial surface colours predicted histological acute myocarditis, and purple predicted active chronic myocarditis. However, yellowish brown and white colours did not predict inactive chronic myocarditis.