Recent advances in cardiac magnetic resonance imaging

Magnetic resonance imaging of the cardiovascular system is now a well-recognized primary investigative technique for many conditions of structural abnormality in clinical cardiology, but the assessment of functional abnormality is also valuable and is increasingly being recognized by clinicians because of the accuracy and reproducibility of the techniques. Recently, focus has centered on reduction of motion artifact and scan time by rapid imaging techniques and on applications in coronary artery disease. Magnetic resonance coronary angiography can be used reliably to assess coronary artery bypass graft patency and anomalous coronary artery anatomy, and techniques of assessing native coronary artery stenosis and flow are close to being clinically useful. Advances continue in the assessment of myocardial perfusion, right and left ventricular function, and myocardial metabolism. With this combination of anatomic and functional information, magnetic resonance imaging will play an ever-increasing role in the assessment of cardiac disease.