MRI

Cardiac MRI is an application of MRI, in our case using a 1.5T or 3T scanner. It is a non-invasive method to image the heart allowing detailed structural and functional analysis of the heart.

Advantages of Cardiac MRI

Non ionising radiation (no x-ray). Can be safely used in children and pregnant patients. High resolution images of cardiac chambers and thoracic vessels. No interference from adjacent structures such as bones and air. Allows the assessment of heart function that is sometimes difficult in echo (right heart function, congenital heart disease) and is the most precise form of measuring left heart function. Gadolinium / contrast application has a low rate of allergic reactions and is less likely to induce nephropathy. 

There are also some disadvantages of cardiac MRI. It requires more patient cooperation (breath hold) and is not for the claustrophobic. MRI scanner are incompatible with some medical implants and since it is a very strong magnet iron / ferromagnetic objects are generally excluded. Also the spacial resolution is less then for example CT, limiting the investigation of smaller structures such as coronary arteries. 
MRI Video - Atrial Septum Defect (ASD II):

The right ventricle at the bottom of the image is enlarged. Also the right atrium is dilated. There is a large ASD visible between the left and right atrium with blood flow / shunt from left to right. It can also be appreciated that the size of the ASD varies throughout the heart cycle. The shunt size (Qp:Qs) was calculated at 2.8:1 indicating that for every later pumped by the left ventricle the right ventricle will have to pump 2.8 liter of blood. 
Heart Function:

This patient had a large anterior myocardial infarction (MI) cause by a proximal occlusion of the left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery. The global left ventricular function is severely reduced with an ejection fraction (EF) of 28 %. The left ventricle (LV) is also severely dilated. 

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Cardiac MRI in cooperation with Pacific Radiology.