Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging in myocardial inflammation in autoimmune rheumatic diseases: An appraisal of the diagnostic strengths and limitations of the Lake Louise criteria.

Myocardial inflammation in autoimmune rheumatic diseases (ARDs) is the endpoint of various pathophysiologic processes. The Lake Louise-criteria is the most popular approach for the diagnosis of myocarditis. However, due to the diversity of myocardial inflammation in ARDs, some issues should be acknowledged.

Cardiovascular magnetic resonance in rheumatology: Current status and recommendations for use.

Targeted therapies in connective tissue diseases (CTDs) have led to improvements of disease-associated outcomes, but life expectancy remains lower compared to general population due to emerging co-morbidities, particularly due to excess cardiovascular risk. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) is a noninvasive imaging technique which can provide detailed information about multiple cardiovascular pathologies without using ionizing radiation. CMR is considered the reference standard for quantitative evaluation of left and right ventricular volumes, mass and function, cardiac tissue characterization and assessment of thoracic vessels; it may also be used for the quantitative assessment of myocardial blood flow with high spatial resolution and for the evaluation of the proximal coronary arteries.