A narrative review of diagnosis of infective endocarditis—imaging methods and comparison

The profile of infective endocarditis (IE) has changed over the past few decades. The modified Duke’s criteria is currently employed for diagnosis of IE. Emphasis on imaging modalities however, have been increasing due to the variety of presenting symptoms leading to diagnostic conundrums. This wide range of diagnostic tools must be adapted to permit localization of the infectious field which may involve multiple valves on either side of the heart. The availability of such diagnostic tools is also variable in different centres. The use of echocardiography has long been the default position, however the lack of specificity and sensitivity especially in prosthetic valve endocarditis has been highlighted throughout the literature. We therefore aimed to look at the different imaging modalities available and the strengths and weaknesses of each of these modalities to enhance the diagnostic yield and allow timely intervention for this condition. We highlight the role of the different forms of echocardiography, multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT), Nuclear Medicine, Magnetic Resonance Imaging and identify the special indications such as right sided infective endocarditis (RSIE) and cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) endocarditis. Input from a specialist heart team is essential to ensure timely diagnosis and care are afforded. The role of alternative imaging techniques such as nuclear medicine in determining timing of cardiac surgery should be evaluated further by randomised trials.