Myocarditis is an inflammatory disease of the heart characterized by myocardial inflammatory lesions and myocyte necrosis resulting from various causes, including autoimmune diseases, such as cardiac sarcoidosis. The clinical sequelae of myocarditis include conduction disturbances, ventricular arrhythmias, and reduced cardiac pump function. Current non-invasive diagnostic methods have low specificity for cardiac inflammation. This study aims at evaluating whether PET imaging with a tracer targeting Folate receptor-beta expressed on activated macrophages at sites of inflammation can be used to detect myocardial inflammation in patients with histologically confirmed cardiac sarcoidosis. This study also aims at studying whether imaging guided FR-ß targeted antifolate thrapy can prevent or ameliorate experimental autoimmune myocarditis. These studies will provide novel information on FR-ß as a diagnostic and therapeutic target in myocardial inflammation associated with myocarditis.

2021

2026