[Morphological diagnosis: myocarditis (author's transl)].

On the basis of numerous post mortem examinations, polyetiology and diverse morphological variants of myocarditis are presented. With focal myocarditis the postmortal diagnosis may be left to chance. Histological routine examinations should encompass not only several parts of the left and right heart, but also the anterior septum. The Ladewig staining method has proven to be a suitable method for recognizing early changes of the myocard.