Magnetic resonance imaging of ischemic heart disease: Why cardiac magneticresonance imaging will play a significant role in the management of patients with coronary artery disease

The role of magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnosis of ischemic heart d isease has great potential impact on patient management, because a number o f aspects of ischemic heart disease can be evaluated in one imaging session . High resolution coronary magnetic resonance angiography is currently avai lable, although several technical improvements are awaited to make the tech nique routinely applicable. A major advance will probably include the avail ability of magnetic resonance blood pool contrast agents to improve vessel visualization. Contrast media, in combination with either first pass or del ayed myocardial scanning, will also play an important role in myocardial pe rfusion imaging. Functional magnetic resonance assessment of regional and g lobal ventricular function is currently a well-established technique and is considered a new gold standard, which may impact on routine cardiology pra ctice. This review summarizes some of the recent magnetic resonance develop ments for evaluating various aspects of ischemic heart disease, including m agnetic resonance coronary angiography, flow imaging, and imaging of myocar dial perfusion and function.