Diagnosing cardiac sarcoidosis (CS) can be very challenging. There are no widely accepted guidelines for either screening or diagnosing CS. Moreover, the current available diagnostic tests are variable in their ability to detect CS. Because of its devastating nature, most patients with other forms sarcoidosis are screened for CS.
Initial cardiac evaluation may include an EKG, a signal averaged EKG, an echocardiogram and a Holter monitor (extended EKG). Additional imaging tests may include single positron emission computed tomography (SPECT), positron emission tomography (PET) and cardiac MRI. A positive heart biopsy confirms CS, but a heart biopsy may more often be negative or normal even when there is sarcoid in the heart, especially if heart function is normal.
