The prominent role of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging in coronary artery disease

Abstract

The role of cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) in coronary artery disease is prominent. CMR provides functional and structural heart disease assessment with high accuracy. It allows accurate cardiac volume and flow quantification and wall motion analysis both at rest and at stress. CMR myocardial perfusion studies detect myocardial ischemia and provide insights into the morphology of the myocardial tissue. CMR imaging noninvasively differentiates causes of myocardial injury such as ischemia or inflammation; stages of myocardial injury, such as acute or chronic; grade of myocardial damage, such as reversible or irreversible; myocardial fibrosis or scar. There is an emerging role of CMR in patients with acute chest presentation since it can demonstrate causes of chest pain other than coronary artery disease such as myocarditis, pericarditis, aortic dissection and pulmonary embolism. CMR is noninvasive and radiation-free. It’s combined approach of functional and structural cardiac assessment makes it unique compared with other imaging modalities.

Keywords::

• coronary artery disease
• ischemic cardiomyopathy
• MRI

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Key issues

• Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) is an important tool in coronary artery disease, heart failure and ischemic heart disease evaluation.

• CMR provides functional and structural heart disease assessment with high accuracy.

• CMR allows accurate cardiac volume and flow quantification and wall motion analysis both at rest and at stress.

• CMR myocardial perfusion studies detect myocardial ischemia and provide insights into the morphology of the myocardial tissue.

• Stress CMR applies in nonhigh-risk patients with acute chest presentation to rule out or diagnose coronary artery disease.

• CMR is safe, noninvasive and radiation-free.