What is the main purpose of performing a biopsy on heart tissue?

Performing a biopsy on heart tissue primarily serves the purpose of identifying infection or disease. This procedure involves taking a small sample of tissue from the heart to examine it under a microscope. By analyzing the tissue, healthcare professionals can detect abnormalities that may indicate various conditions, such as myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle), cardiomyopathy (disease of the heart muscle), or infiltrative diseases like amyloidosis. Biopsies can reveal the presence of cells indicative of infection, inflammation, or other pathological changes that could affect the heart's function.

While assessing blood flow, evaluating heart rhythms, and measuring heart function are important aspects of cardiology, they are typically addressed through other diagnostic tools such as echocardiograms, electrocardiograms (ECG), and imaging techniques. The specific focus of a biopsy on tissue analysis distinguishes it from these assessments, emphasizing its role in diagnosing underlying diseases at a cellular level.