Internal Medicine: Open Access
Open Access
ISSN: 2165-8048
+44 1300 500008
ISSN: 2165-8048
+44 1300 500008
Theo Pelzer
Germany
Research Article
Screening for Cardiac Sarcoidosis with the MRI under Immunosuppressive Therapy
Author(s): Theresa Reiter, Irmengard Perdijk, Pius Jung, Jürgen Wolf, Theo Pelzer and Wolfgang R. BauerTheresa Reiter, Irmengard Perdijk, Pius Jung, Jürgen Wolf, Theo Pelzer and Wolfgang R. Bauer
The cardiac affection in systemic sarcoidosis often presents as functional impairment or rhythmic abnormalities and is of prognostic relevance. Due to the focal granulomatous changes, the detection of the sarcoid lesions can be challenging. Cardiac MRI allows for a unique non-invasive presentation of the cardiac structure, and detects these typical changes even in up to 30% of asymptomatic patients. Treatment options include immunosuppressive therapies such as systemic corticosteroids that suppress the inflammatory processes. In an unfiltered group of sarcoidosis patients, however, many of the patients will be or already had been on immunosuppressive therapy, often due to an extra-cardiac affection. The presented study examines the influence of the immunosuppressive therapy on the findings of the initial screening MRI. All included patients have been seen at the University of Wuerzbur.. View More»
DOI:
10.4172/2165-8048.1000279