VALVULAR HEART-DISEASE

Although valvular stenosis may be evaluated adequately by measuring tr ansvalvular pressure gradients with Doppler echocardiography and cardi ac catheterization, these methods have failed to provide reliable and accurate quantification of valvular regurgitation. In recent years the development of magnetic resonance imaging has broadened the diagnosti c spectrum in cardiology, since it allows assessment of ventricular vo lumes without geometrical assumptions and the non-invasive quantificat ion of blood flow within the heart and great vessels. The purpose of t his overview is to evaluate ''established'' diagnostic tools and to sh ow the capabilities of magnetic resonance imaging in the assessment of valvular heart disease.