title: [Magnetic resonance tomography in patients with a heart valve prosthesis].
abstract: Artificial valve prostheses are often regarded as a contraindication for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), although preliminary in vitro studies suggested, that patients with these metallic implants might safely undergo MR examination. This study reports on the experience with a group of 89 patients with 100 heart valve prostheses who were examined by spin-echo MR and gradient-echo MR. MR examination was performed in all patients without complications. The spin-echo sequence showed advantages in the depiction of anatomical structures like paravalvular abscesses. Anatomical structures adjacent to the artificial valve were clearly visible and the metal components of the valves showed no or only small artifacts. Artifacts were accentuated when using gradient-echo sequences. Gradient-echo sequences provided valuable information regarding the presence of valvular insufficiency. Physiological valvular regurgitation was easy to differentiate from pathological paravalvular or transvalvular regurgitation. These results demonstrate that patients with artificial valve prostheses can be imaged by MR without risk and that prosthesis-induced artifacts do no interfere with image interpretation.
authors.affiliation: Klinik und Poliklinik für Nuklearmedizin, Universität zu Köln.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bachmann
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Deutsch
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jüngehülsing
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Sechtem
authors.forename: H H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Hilger
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schicha
mesh_terms: D000038:Abscess / Q000175:diagnosis; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001021:Aortic Valve; D001705:Bioprosthesis; D005260:Female; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008943:Mitral Valve; D011475:Prosthesis Failure; D016459:Prosthesis-Related Infections / Q000175:diagnosis; D014261:Tricuspid Valve
vernacular_title: Magnetresonanztomographie bei Patienten mit Herzklappenersatz.