Diagnostic capability of CMR for the diagnosis of acute myocarditis in young patients is determined by the presence of elevated cardiac enzymes

Background Diagnosis of myocarditis remains a difficult clinical challenge, since the clinical spectrum of myocarditis is multifaceted. As clinical presentation and ECG-changes tend to be non-specific, cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) has proven to be a valuable diagnostic tool regarding non-invasive diagnosis of myocarditis. However, CMR studies are timeand cost-intensive. Hence, further parameters are warranted to identify those individuals in whom a CMR study is likely to add crucial information regarding correct and timely diagnosis of acute myocarditis. The current study sought to elucidate the diagnostic yield of CMR in young patients aged ≤ 40 yrs with clinical diagnosis of myocarditis based on symptoms and ECG in relation to the presence or absence of elevated levels of cardiac troponin as an additional marker of acute myocardial injury.