Does endomyocardial biopsy provide useful diagnostic information in patients suspected of having congestive cardiomyopathy?
Endomyocardial biopsy provides helpful morphological confirmation or exclusion of congestive cardiomyopathy in a majority of suspected cases, justifying its continued use.
Endomyocardial tissue obtained from 237 patients clinically suspected of suffering from congestive cardiomyopathy, has been analysed histologically, histochemically and ultrastructurally. In 51% of patients, the suspected diagnosis was morphologically confirmed and in 24.5%, no pathological evidence of a dilated heart or other pathology was found. The results in these two groups were considered helpful. It is concluded that, even though the morphology of congestive cardiomyopathy in non-specific and the number of other pathology found is small, the continuation of investigation by bioptome is justified. Parameters such as prognosis and length of history can also be assessed. Furthermore, morphological analysis is essential to interpret accurately biochemical and other types of investigations that are being carried out on biopsy material.
E. G. J. Olsen (Sat,) studied this question.
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