Cardiac MRI
What is a Cardiac MRI?
A Cardiac MRI is a noninvasive procedure that uses powerful magnets and radio waves to construct pictures of the heart. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) produces pictures of the heart without exposure to ionizing radiation (X-rays).The heart may be scanned by itself, or a cardiac MRI may be part of a chest MRI.
How a Cardiac MRI is Performed
Since cardiac MRI makes use of radio waves very close in frequency to those of ordinary FM radio stations, the scanner must be located within a specially shielded room to avoid outside interference. The patient will be asked to lie on a narrow table, which slides into a large tunnel-like tube within the scanner. In addition, small devices may be placed around the head, arm, or leg, or adjacent to other areas to be studied. These are special body coils that send and receive the radio wave pulses, and are designed to improve the quality of the images. If contrast is to be administered during the cardiac MRI, an IV will be placed in a small vein of the hand or forearm. A technologist will operate the machine and observe you during the entire study from an adjacent room.
Several sets of images are usually required, each taking from 2 to 15 minutes. A complete cardiac MRI, depending on the sequences performed, and need for contrast enhancement may take up to one hour or more. Newer scanners with more powerful magnets utilizing updated software and advanced sequences may complete the process in less time.
Cardiac MRI at the Heart Center
Worldwide, physicians with the Heart Center were the first to report the successful use of magnetic resonance imaging (cardiac MRI) to detect blockages and measure flow in the coronary arteries. With additional research, MRI may become a new tool for diagnosing heart disease.
Learn more about cardiac MRI and the Heart Center of Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center.