Role of multimodality imaging in infective endocarditis: Contemporary diagnostic and prognostic considerations

Abstract

Infective endocarditis (IE) describes the infection of native and prosthetic cardiac valves as well as cardiac implantable electronic devices. Echocardiography is the most widely used imaging technique for evaluation of IE. Due to its reduced sensitivity in detection of prosthetic valve IE and cardiac implantable electronic device related IE and related complications, complementary techniques such as cardiac computed tomography (CT) and 18-flurodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/CT play an emerging role. Therefore, multiple guidelines recommend the use of multimodality imaging in the diagnosis and management of IE. In this review, we aim to compare the various guidelines and to discuss the role of imaging in the diagnosis, detection of complications, monitoring of treatment response, and prognostication of IE.

Keywords: Cardiac computed tomography; Infective endocarditis; Multimodality imaging; Nuclear imaging; Positron emission tomography; Prosthetic valve endocarditis; Right-sided endocarditis; Transesophageal echocardiography; Transthoracic echocardiography.