Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Athletes With Clinical and Subclinical Myocarditis A-D, Athlete A with subclinical possible myocarditis was asymptomatic with normal electrocardiogram (ECG), echocardiogram, and high-sensitivity troponin findings. A, T2 mapping showing elevated T2 in basal-mid inferolateral wall in short axis view. B, late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) in the basal inferolateral wall in short axis view. C, Postcontrast steady state-free precession (SSFP) images showing contrast uptake in the basal-mid inferolateral wall in short axis view. D, LGE in the inferolateral wall in 3-chamber view. E-H, Athlete B with subclinical probable myocarditis was asymptomatic with normal ECG, normal echocardiogram, and elevated high-sensitivity troponin findings. E, T2 mapping showing elevated T2 in the anteroseptal wall in short axis view. F, LGE in the anteroseptal wall in 3-chamber view. G, T2 mapping showing elevated T2 in the anteroseptal wall in 3-chamber view. F, Postcontrast SSFP image showing pericardial effusion in short axis view. I-K, Athlete C with clinical myocarditis and chest pain, dyspnea, abnormal ECG, normal echocardiogram, and normal troponin findings. I, T2 mapping showing elevated T2 in the lateral wall short axis view. J, Postcontrast SSFP images showing contrast uptake in midlateral wall in short axis view. K, LGE in the epicardial midlateral wall in short axis view. L-N, Athlete D with clinical myocarditis, chest pain, abnormal ECG, echocardiogram, and troponin findings. L, T1 mapping showing elevated native T1 in midlateral wall in short axis view. M, T2 mapping showing elevated T2 in the midlateral wall in short axis view. N, LGE in the epicardial midlateral wall in short axis view. IR indicates inferior right view; IRP, inferior, right, posterior view; PLI, posterior, left, inferior view; SL, superior left view; SLA, superior, left, anterior view. Image courtesy of JAMA Cardiol. Published online May 27, 2021. doi:10.1001/jamacardio.2021.2065

MRI scan of a damaged heart. Blue means reduced blood flow, orange is good blood flow. In this figure the inferior part of the heart shows dark blue, so the myocardial blood flow is very reduced. The angiogram shows the coronary artery which supplies the blood to this part of the heart is occluded. The three colored MRI images show different slices of the heart — the basal mid and apical slices. Image courtesy of European Heart Journal

Myocarditis among recovering COVID-19 athletes appears to be less common than previously reported. Getty Images