Infiltrative and Inflammatory Cardiomyopathies: Using Imaging to Probe Mechanisms of Myocardial Dysfunction.

Infiltrative and inflammatory cardiomyopathies comprise a spectrum of myocardial diseases defined by the accumulation of abnormal substances or inflammation within the myocardium. Although their etiologies differ, they share common mechanisms of cardiac dysfunction, such as microvascular dysfunction, denervation, impaired energetics, apoptosis, inflammation, and myocardial infiltration. While conventional cardiovascular imaging techniques assess structural and functional changes, they do not usually yield insight into underlying mechanistic processes. This review highlights the role of advanced cardiovascular imaging in identifying pathophysiologic mechanisms to improve our understanding of these disease processes in order to improve the care of patients.