Cardiovascular imaging: a radiological perspective

Historically, conventional radiological imaging has had an important role in the diagnosis and imaging of acquired and congenital cardiovascular disease with modalities including chest radiography and fluoroscopy, and progressing to coronary catheterised angiography, echocardiography and nuclear medicine. Rapid technological advances and new clinical applications, coupled with an increase in therapeutic options for cardiovascular disease have resulted in a recent explosion in cardiovascular imaging. There is little doubt that multi-detector cardiac computed tomography (MDCT) and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are the hottest topics in cardiovascular imaging today. Although the number of 64-slice scanners and cardiac-enabled MRI units in clinical use is still relatively low, momentum is gathering fast as their versatility and striking capabilities become more apparent.