Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Right Ventricular Disease

Cardiac magnetic resonance is an increasingly popular tool for assessing cardiac anatomy and function, as well as disease pathology, in an objective and comprehensive manner. Establishing diagnosis of diseases involving the right ventricle by traditional transthoracic two-dimensional echocardiography is challenging owing to the peculiar anatomy and retrosternal position of the right ventricle, and chest wall status of the patient. Cardiac magnetic resonance has proven a valuable examination tool in the assessment of the right ventricle in a radiation-free and non-invasive manner. This review describes how cardiac magnetic resonance can nicely depict right ventricle anatomy, morphology, and function, and can aid radiologists and clinicians in assessing diseases involving the right ventricle.