Biomaterial Database

Value of endomyocardial biopsy. 1986

D V Unverferth, and P B Baker

The role of endomyocardial biopsy may be restricted to the diagnosis of myocarditis. On the other hand, a broad utilization of the biopsy technique may be championed by those who believe that the light and electron microscopic characteristics of the tissue are important and that the biochemical features of the tissue may hold important clues to the diagnosis and therapy of dilated cardiomyopathy. The popularity of endomyocardial biopsy arises from the ease and safety of the procedure. Light microscopy of the tissue is useful not only to diagnose myocarditis but also to discover infiltrative cardiomyopathies and to characterize the dilated cardiomyopathies by the amount of fibrosis and cellular hypertrophy. Electron microscopy supplies more detailed information on the myofibrils, nuclei, tubular structures, mitochondria, glycogen, and lipofuscin. At present, these data are clinically applicable only to the anthracycline cardiomyopathies. On an investigational basis, subcellular characteristics may help us better understand the etiology and pathogenesis of dilated cardiomyopathy. The greatest promise lies in the biochemical assessment of tissue, which may uncover single or multiple biochemical abnormalities in heart failure. Although the clinical usefulness of endomyocardial biopsy is quite restricted at present, its future looks quite promising.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007501	Iron	A metallic element with atomic symbol Fe, atomic number 26, and atomic weight 55.85. It is an essential constituent of HEMOGLOBINS; CYTOCHROMES; and IRON-BINDING PROTEINS. It plays a role in cellular redox reactions and in the transport of OXYGEN.	Iron-56,Iron 56
D008853	Microscopy	The use of instrumentation and techniques for visualizing material and details that cannot be seen by the unaided eye. It is usually done by enlarging images, transmitted by light or electron beams, with optical or magnetic lenses that magnify the entire image field. With scanning microscopy, images are generated by collecting output from the specimen in a point-by-point fashion, on a magnified scale, as it is scanned by a narrow beam of light or electrons, a laser, a conductive probe, or a topographical probe.	Compound Microscopy,Hand-Held Microscopy,Light Microscopy,Optical Microscopy,Simple Microscopy,Hand Held Microscopy,Microscopy, Compound,Microscopy, Hand-Held,Microscopy, Light,Microscopy, Optical,Microscopy, Simple
D008854	Microscopy, Electron	Microscopy using an electron beam, instead of light, to visualize the sample, thereby allowing much greater magnification. The interactions of ELECTRONS with specimens are used to provide information about the fine structure of that specimen. In TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY the reactions of the electrons that are transmitted through the specimen are imaged. In SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY an electron beam falls at a non-normal angle on the specimen and the image is derived from the reactions occurring above the plane of the specimen.	Electron Microscopy
D008928	Mitochondria	Semiautonomous, self-reproducing organelles that occur in the cytoplasm of all cells of most, but not all, eukaryotes. Each mitochondrion is surrounded by a double limiting membrane. The inner membrane is highly invaginated, and its projections are called cristae. Mitochondria are the sites of the reactions of oxidative phosphorylation, which result in the formation of ATP. They contain distinctive RIBOSOMES, transfer RNAs (RNA, TRANSFER); AMINO ACYL T RNA SYNTHETASES; and elongation and termination factors. Mitochondria depend upon genes within the nucleus of the cells in which they reside for many essential messenger RNAs (RNA, MESSENGER). Mitochondria are believed to have arisen from aerobic bacteria that established a symbiotic relationship with primitive protoeukaryotes. (King & Stansfield, A Dictionary of Genetics, 4th ed)	Mitochondrial Contraction,Mitochondrion,Contraction, Mitochondrial,Contractions, Mitochondrial,Mitochondrial Contractions
D009202	Cardiomyopathies	A group of diseases in which the dominant feature is the involvement of the CARDIAC MUSCLE itself. Cardiomyopathies are classified according to their predominant pathophysiological features (DILATED CARDIOMYOPATHY; HYPERTROPHIC CARDIOMYOPATHY; RESTRICTIVE CARDIOMYOPATHY) or their etiological/pathological factors (CARDIOMYOPATHY, ALCOHOLIC; ENDOCARDIAL FIBROELASTOSIS).	Myocardial Disease,Myocardial Diseases,Myocardial Diseases, Primary,Myocardial Diseases, Secondary,Myocardiopathies,Primary Myocardial Disease,Cardiomyopathies, Primary,Cardiomyopathies, Secondary,Primary Myocardial Diseases,Secondary Myocardial Diseases,Cardiomyopathy,Cardiomyopathy, Primary,Cardiomyopathy, Secondary,Disease, Myocardial,Disease, Primary Myocardial,Disease, Secondary Myocardial,Diseases, Myocardial,Diseases, Primary Myocardial,Diseases, Secondary Myocardial,Myocardial Disease, Primary,Myocardial Disease, Secondary,Myocardiopathy,Primary Cardiomyopathies,Primary Cardiomyopathy,Secondary Cardiomyopathies,Secondary Cardiomyopathy,Secondary Myocardial Disease
D009205	Myocarditis	Inflammatory processes of the muscular walls of the heart (MYOCARDIUM) which result in injury to the cardiac muscle cells (MYOCYTES, CARDIAC). Manifestations range from subclinical to sudden death (DEATH, SUDDEN). Myocarditis in association with cardiac dysfunction is classified as inflammatory CARDIOMYOPATHY usually caused by INFECTION, autoimmune diseases, or responses to toxic substances. Myocarditis is also a common cause of DILATED CARDIOMYOPATHY and other cardiomyopathies.	Carditis,Myocarditides
D009206	Myocardium	The muscle tissue of the HEART. It is composed of striated, involuntary muscle cells (MYOCYTES, CARDIAC) connected to form the contractile pump to generate blood flow.	Muscle, Cardiac,Muscle, Heart,Cardiac Muscle,Myocardia,Cardiac Muscles,Heart Muscle,Heart Muscles,Muscles, Cardiac,Muscles, Heart
D011379	Prognosis	A prediction of the probable outcome of a disease based on a individual's condition and the usual course of the disease as seen in similar situations.	Prognostic Factor,Prognostic Factors,Factor, Prognostic,Factors, Prognostic,Prognoses
D002311	Cardiomyopathy, Dilated	A form of CARDIAC MUSCLE disease that is characterized by ventricular dilation, VENTRICULAR DYSFUNCTION, and HEART FAILURE. Risk factors include SMOKING; ALCOHOL DRINKING; HYPERTENSION; INFECTION; PREGNANCY; and mutations in the LMNA gene encoding LAMIN TYPE A, a NUCLEAR LAMINA protein.	Cardiomyopathy, Congestive,Congestive Cardiomyopathy,Dilated Cardiomyopathy,Cardiomyopathy, Dilated, 1a,Cardiomyopathy, Dilated, Autosomal Recessive,Cardiomyopathy, Dilated, CMD1A,Cardiomyopathy, Dilated, LMNA,Cardiomyopathy, Dilated, With Conduction Defect 1,Cardiomyopathy, Dilated, with Conduction Deffect1,Cardiomyopathy, Familial Idiopathic,Cardiomyopathy, Idiopathic Dilated,Cardiomyopathies, Congestive,Cardiomyopathies, Dilated,Cardiomyopathies, Familial Idiopathic,Cardiomyopathies, Idiopathic Dilated,Congestive Cardiomyopathies,Dilated Cardiomyopathies,Dilated Cardiomyopathies, Idiopathic,Dilated Cardiomyopathy, Idiopathic,Familial Idiopathic Cardiomyopathies,Familial Idiopathic Cardiomyopathy,Idiopathic Cardiomyopathies, Familial,Idiopathic Cardiomyopathy, Familial,Idiopathic Dilated Cardiomyopathies,Idiopathic Dilated Cardiomyopathy
D002331	Carnitine	A constituent of STRIATED MUSCLE and LIVER. It is an amino acid derivative and an essential cofactor for fatty acid metabolism.	Bicarnesine,L-Carnitine,Levocarnitine,Vitamin BT,L Carnitine