**3.2 Chest X-ray**

Chest radiograph is a radiographic procedure that uses low-energy ionizing radiation (X-rays) to visualize the chest organs. This procedure is very crucial in the assessment of lung and heart signs and symptoms such as cough, chest infection, injury, and discomfort [48]. This procedure is used to evaluate and screen heart inflammatory diseases such as myocarditis and pericarditis. This procedure is noninvasive and does not require special patient preparation. Chest radiography is a standard procedure for myocarditis and pericarditis patients. A distended cardiac shadow might be identified with accumulated fluids. Chest X-ray shows cardiac enlargement as a result of chamber dilatation, pericardial effusion, interstitial infiltrates, and pleural effusions (**Figure4**) [49–51].

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**Figure 6.**

*Shows the nuclear medicine image of myocarditis.*

*Application of Medical Imaging in Diagnosis and Assessment of Myocarditis and Pericarditis*

Computed tomography provides clear images of pericardium space and infection complications. Nuclear cardiology can delimit the pericarditis. Pericardiocentesis is indicated for pericardial effusion, pus-filled pericarditis, and suspected tumor

FDG PET-CT can be used for visualization of myocarditis and pericarditis. This technique helps to differentiate between the acute and chronic cardiomyopathy diseases. Recently PET/MRI is used for detecting myocarditis and pericarditis [53]. The evaluation of myocarditis using nuclear scanning had started in the early 1970s. This scanning technique had started by using gallium-67 to visualize the internal

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.87218*

**3.3 Computed tomography (CT)**

*Shows computed tomography of the pericardium.*

(**Figure 5**) [52].

**Figure 5.**

**3.4 Nuclear medicine**

**Figure 4.** *Shows chest radiograph of myocarditis patient.*

*Application of Medical Imaging in Diagnosis and Assessment of Myocarditis and Pericarditis DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.87218*

**Figure 5.** *Shows computed tomography of the pericardium.*
