Diagnosing ATTR-CM may be challenging, due to little awareness about the condition. The symptoms of ATTR-CM also overlap with those of many other common conditions. If this condition is suspected, your doctor may need to do various tests such as an electrocardiogram (heart tracing) to assess your heart rhythm. Specialised heart imaging tests will also be ordered. This will usually include an ultrasound of the heart (transthoracic echocardiogram) to assess the heart pumping function and thickness of the heart. Depending on the outcome of your clinical examination and test results, further dedicated heart scans such as the cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (a MRI scan of the heart) or the nuclear pyrophosphate scan (special scan to assess for possible abnormal proteins in the heart) may be performed. Blood tests will also be performed to assess various organ functions. In a small number of cases, a small sample of the affected organ, such as the heart muscle, nerve or kidney tissue, may have to be obtained to get an accurate diagnosis.
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