Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging has emerged as an important non-invasive cardiac imaging modality. A versatile technique, it has the potential for comprehensive evaluation of coronary artery disease (CAD): cardiac morphology and function, myocardial perfusion, myocardial viability, coronary artery visualisation and atherosclerotic plaque characterisation. Some of these techniques--vent...

In cardiac research, a major goal of prevention of catastrophic events by risk-factor management and earlier detection has, in recent years, led to a proliferation of imaging modalities, moving us from old-fashioned chest X-ray through increasingly sophisticated approaches such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and multi-slice fast computer-aided tomography (CT) scanning. Today, we have the o...

Background Coronary angiography and the extent of coronary luminal stenosis has historically been the main factor used in guiding decisions regarding revascularisation in patients with stable coronary artery disease. More recently, revascularisation based on invasive fractional flow reserve (FFR) measurements has been shown to result in a significant benefit for event free survival. Cardiac mag...

UNLABELLED In July 2009, the Medical Advisory Secretariat (MAS) began work on Non-Invasive Cardiac Imaging Technologies for the Diagnosis of Coronary Artery Disease (CAD), an evidence-based review of the literature surrounding different cardiac imaging modalities to ensure that appropriate technologies are accessed by patients suspected of having CAD. This project came about when the Health Ser...

cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (cmri) is a well-established noninvasive imaging modality in clinical cardiology. its ability to provide tissue characterization make it well suited for the study of patients with cardiac diseases. we describe a multi-modality imaging evaluation of a 45-year-old man who experienced a near drowning event during swimming. we underline the unique capability of ti...

In recent years, technical advances and improvements in cardiac computed tomography (CT) and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have provoked increasing interest in the potential clinical role of these techniques in the non-invasive work-up of patients with suspected coronary artery disease (CAD) and correct patient selection for these emerging imaging techniques. In the primary detection...

Congenital heart defect is the primary cause of death in newborns, due to typically complex malformation of the cardiac system. The pulmonary valve and trunk are often affected and require complex clinical management and in most cases surgical or interventional treatment. While minimal invasive methods are emerging, non-invasive imaging-based assessment tools become crucial components in the cl...

Microvascular abnormalities of the coronary circulation are present in several cardiac disorders, are associated with risk factors, and may be present in systemic disease. For the diagnosis and quantification of microvascular dysfunction, non invasive imaging techniques can be used. This paper will highlight the roles of exercise ECG, single photon emission computed tomography, echocardiography...