[Heart injury secondary to carbon monoxide poisoning--the use of imaging techniques].

The heart muscle is particularly sensitive to the toxic effects of carbon monoxide. Cardiovascular complications are present in 30-40% poisoned patients. Currently, multiple ECG records and at least two-time determination of cardiac markers' concentration (mainly troponin I) are known as the gold standard practice in the diagnosis of cardiac injury especially with regard to medium and severe poisoning. So far there have not been any recommendations for further diagnostic steps in case of abnormalities in these examinations. This paper presents a review of cardiac imaging techniques as well as the analysis of their usefulness in carbon monoxide poisoning. According to the authors echocardiography is considered to be an extremely important examination which, thanks to its accessibility and non-invasive nature, should be performed on all patients with myocardium injury suspicion made on the basis of clinical image, ECG records and biochemical markers.