Review of cardiomyopathy imaging

Abstract

Cardiomyopathies are increasingly being detected on both routine and non-routine imaging. Furthermore, the diagnosis of cardiomyopathy is changing from the traditional method of clinical presentation and cardiac morphology to a quantifiable method based on both cardiac morphology and function. With cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, coronary computed tomography and nuclear medicine increasingly being utilized along with echocardiography in the diagnostic process, it is important for the radiologist to be aware of the relevant criteria in formulating a diagnosis. We aim to provide an overview of the imaging characteristics of the most commonly encountered cardiomyopathies.

Keywords: Cardiac MRI (CMRI); Cardiac computed tomography (CCT); Cardiomyopathy; Echocardiography; Nuclear medicine.