Diagnostic endomyocardial biopsy pathology--general biopsy considerations, and its use for myocarditis and cardiomyopathy: a review.

Endomyocardial biopsy is a commonly performed procedure used for the evaluation of myocardial tissues. Biopsies may be used to monitor transplant rejection, but they have many other applications, such as the evaluation of myocarditis, cardiomyopathy, drug toxicity, chest pain, arrhythmia and cardiac involvement by systemic diseases or neoplasms. The present paper discusses practical suggestions for biopsy interpretation, and the clinicopathological considerations for biopsies from patients with myocarditis and cardiomyopathies.