[Endomyocardial biopsy: procedure and pathology].

Endomyocardial biopsy is one of the examinations seeking for the etiologies of myocardial diseases, different from the others evaluating physiological or functional states. The biopsy is most powerful for monitoring rejection of the transplanted hearts and anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity. It can make a differential diagnosis between myocardial diseases based on the specific histological findings. Although the method is well established, the indication should be carefully selected, and attentions should be paid to prevent the possible complications. Besides histological approaches at light and electron microscopic levels, biochemical, pharmacological and immunological approaches on the biopsies will promise further understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying cardiac diseases.