By InvitationNot Applicable

Cardiac MRI in Myocarditis and Inflammatory Cardiomyopathy

5,000 participantsStarted 2008-01-01

Plain-language summary

Myocarditis and inflammatory cardiomyopathy represent a broad spectrum of myocardial inflammatory disorders with highly variable clinical presentations and outcomes, ranging from spontaneous recovery to progressive heart failure, malignant arrhythmias, and sudden cardiac death. Despite advances in clinical management, risk assessment in this population remains challenging due to heterogeneous disease mechanisms, dynamic disease courses, and limited tools for individualized prognostic stratification. Biopsy-proven myocarditis has been reported to be associated with a long-term mortality rate of up to 19.2% over 4.7 years. Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging (CMR) has become a central imaging modality for the evaluation of myocardial inflammation, offering comprehensive assessment of cardiac structure, function, and tissue characteristics. Beyond conventional parameters such as ventricular volumes and ejection fraction, advanced CMR techniques, including late gadolinium enhancement and parametric mapping, enable noninvasive characterization of myocardial injury, edema, and fibrosis. Emerging quantitative and distribution-based imaging markers further expand the potential of CMR to capture myocardial heterogeneity. However, the clinical implications of diverse CMR phenotypes in myocarditis and inflammatory cardiomyopathy, particularly their value for outcome prediction and risk stratification, remain incompletely defined. This study aims to systematically evaluate CMR-derived phenotypes and their association with clinical outcomes, and to explore the role of CMR in improving risk stratification strategies in patients with myocarditis and inflammatory cardiomyopathy. Where available, genetic data will be integrated to explore potential relationships between CMR phenotypes and underlying genetic variations, further informing disease characterization and risk assessment.

Who can participate

Sex

ALL

See this in plain English?

AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.

Inclusion Criteria: * Patients with clinically suspected acute myocarditis: clinical presentations of myocarditis, including acute chest pain, chest tightness, new-onset or worsening dyspnea, unexplained arrhythmia symptoms, and/or syncope or unexplained cardiogenic shock; diagnostic factors, including abnormal 12-lead electrocardiogram, elevated high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I level, and functional and structural abnormalities at US imaging. Exclusion Criteria: * Patients were excluded if they had any evidence of coronary artery disease (coronary stenosis \> 50% proven by angiography) and/ or other pre-existing cardiac disease or systemic disease with interpretable symptoms, including hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, cardiac amyloidosis, arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, takotsubo cardiomyopathy, ventricular noncompaction, valve disease, and pulmonary embolism.

Questions worth asking your doctor

Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.

1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?

Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.

Questions for the trial coordinator

The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.

1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?

A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.

What they're measuring

Major adverse cardiac events

Timeframe: 1-10 years

Trial details

NCT IDNCT07325968

SponsorChinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Fuwai Hospital

Sponsor typeOTHER

Study typeOBSERVATIONAL

Primary completion2030-12-31

View on ClinicalTrials.gov More Myocarditis trials

Plain-language summary

Who can participate

Sex

ALL

See this in plain English?

AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.