ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Infections with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) most frequently affect the lungs but may also result in cardiovascular involvement and cardiovascular complications. The heart can either be involved as part of a systemic infection or directly involved due to myocarditis or pericarditis as well as in hypoxia, volume overload, fever or thromboembolic complications. Moreover, pre-existing underlying cardiovascular diseases have a substantial influence on the prognosis of patients with COVID-19 infections. METHOD: This review article is based on a comprehensive literature search in the PubMed database on cardiac involvement and cardiac complications of COVID 19 infections, enriched by experiences in dealing with this disorder. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Depending on the severity of the infection, cardiac involvement in a COVID 19 infection is observed in up to 50% of the patients. Besides echocardiography as the first-line examination method, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for assessment of the myocardial structure and cardiac computed tomography (CT) for assessment of coronary arteries and to rule out intracardiac thrombus formation represent important imaging modalities. The most important cardiac manifestations in COVID 19 infections are ischemic and inflammatory diseases. The imaging diagnostics play an important role in the acute as well as in the postinfectious phases.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Heart Diseases , Myocarditis , Heart Diseases/diagnostic imaging , Humans , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Myocarditis/diagnostic imaging , SARS-CoV-2ABSTRACT
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2019 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic currently constitutes a significant burden on worldwide health care systems, with important implications on many levels, including radiology departments. Given the established fundamental role of cardiovascular imaging in modern healthcare, and the specific value of cardiopulmonary radiology in COVID-19 patients, departmental organisation and imaging programs need to be restructured during the pandemic in order to provide access to modern cardiovascular services to both infected and non-infected patients while ensuring safety for healthcare professionals. The uninterrupted availability of cardiovascular radiology services remains, particularly during the current pandemic outbreak, crucial for the initial evaluation and further follow-up of patients with suspected or known cardiovascular diseases in order to avoid unnecessary complications. Suspected or established COVID-19 patients may also have concomitant cardiovascular symptoms and require further imaging investigations. This statement by the European Society of Cardiovascular Radiology (ESCR) provides information on measures for safety of healthcare professionals and recommendations for cardiovascular imaging during the pandemic in both non-infected and COVID-19 patients.