Speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) in the assessment of patients with myocarditis

We report the case of a 38-year-old patient admitted to the hospital due to myocarditis, which first symptom was chest pain lasting many hours. Laboratory tests showed significantly increased markers of myocardial necrosis and inflammatory parameters. Coronarography showed no abnormalities of the coronary arteries. Based on the tests performed so far, myocarditis was suspected. In the next step, echocardiography was performed, including the assessment of deformation using the speckle tracking echocardiography. The study showed significantly reduced values of longitudinal strain within the segments of the inferior, lateral and apical walls. Left ventricular ejection fraction was preserved. Initial diagnosis of myocarditis was confirmed by cardiac magnetic resonance.