Final answer:
When diagnosing suspected pericarditis, an ECG, echocardiogram, and blood tests are commonly used to detect signs of inflammation or fluid around the heart, while Cardiac MRI offers more detailed images but is not used for patients with pacemakers.
Step-by-step explanation:
When diagnosing suspected pericarditis, several testing modalities are employed to assess for inflammation of the pericardium, the double-layered sac that encloses the heart. A key diagnostic tool is the electrocardiogram (ECG), which may reveal alterations in the ST and Q components indicative of pericarditis.
An echocardiogram is another non-invasive test that uses ultrasound waves to create images of the heart and can detect the presence of excess fluid in the pericardial sac. In cases where more in-depth visualization is necessary, Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) may be used, although it's significant to note that patients with pacemakers cannot undergo an MRI due to the risk of generating a Hall voltage in the moving heart or the pacemaker wires. Lastly, blood tests are useful to detect markers of cardiac damage or inflammation, with elevated levels of cardiac enzymes, such as creatine kinase MB and cardiac troponin, being potential indicators of pericarditis.