Magnetic resonance imaging technique in evaluation of myocardial ischemia and role in routine clinical pratice

Abstract

Several imaging methods such as perfusion scintigraphy (SPECT), positron emission tomography (PET) and dobutamine echocardiography are used routinely in the evaluation of myocardial ischemia for clinical practice. These examination techniques are also used to depict the chronic transmural scar tissue and viable residual myocardium at the infarcted area and to showing the thinned akinetic ventricular wall. This information is important for the evaluation of chronic myocardial infarction and in choosing the treatment protocol. Magnetic resonance imaging, with its increasing use parallel to the recent technologic advances in evaluation of cardiac pathologies, has also been used to show viable myocardium and to differentiate it from myocardial necrosis and scar tissue. The use of MRI for this purpose an opportunity of evaluating the cardiac pathologies with a single and non-invasive method. In this review, the role and routine clinical practice of MRI in diagnosis of myocardial ischemia and evaluation of myocardial viability are presented with a relevant literature review.