Imaging methods in cardiomyopathies

The echocardiography, as a widely available and relatively inexpensive basic imaging method, fulfills an irreplaceable function of a screening method in cardiomyopathies. Among new imaging methods, three-dimensional (3D) echocardiography may prove useful, particularly in spongious and apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathies; speckletracking echocardiography in differentiation of athletic heart from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, various types of restrictive cardiomyopathy (including the initial stages of cardiac amyloidosis) and distinguishing between stress and spongious cardiomyopathy. More detailed information may be provided by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, especially in arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy and the prognostic assessment in all types of cardiomyopathies. A cardiac CT scan serves particularly for discrimination of ischemic heart disease and detection of various extracardiac structures. Nevertheless, an essential disadvantage of this method is the radiation exposure, preventing its use in long-term follow-up.