Coronary imaging with cardiovascular magnetic resonance: current state of the art.
Cardiovascular magnetic resonance allows noninvasive and radiation-free visualization of both the coronary arteries and veins, with the advantage of an integrated assessment of cardiac function, viability, perfusion, and anatomy. This combined approach provides valuable integrated information for patients with coronary artery disease and patients undergoing cardiac resynchronization therapy. Moreover, magnetic resonance offers the possibility of coronary vessel wall imaging, therefore assessing the anatomy and pathology of the normal and diseased coronary vessels noninvasively. Coronary magnetic resonance angiography is challenging because of cardiac and respiratory motion and the small size and tortuous path of the coronary vessels. Several technical solutions have been developed to optimize the acquisition protocol to the specific clinical question. The aims of this review are to provide an update on current technical improvements in coronary magnetic resonance angiography, including how to optimize the acquisition protocols, and to give an overview of its current clinical application.
Division of Imaging Sciences and Biomedical Engineering, King’s College London, UK. amedeo.chiribiri@kcl.ac.uk
Amedeo
A
Chiribiri
Masaki
M
Ishida
Eike
E
Nagel
Rene M
RM
Botnar
D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D012720:Severity of Illness Index