Update on the Role of Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Congenital Heart Disease

Abstract

Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) is an important imaging modality in the evaluation of congenital heart diseases (CHD). CMR has several strengths including good spatial and temporal resolutions, wide field-of-view, and multi-planar imaging capabilities. CMR provides significant advantages for imaging in CHD through its ability to measure function, flow and vessel sizes, create three-dimensional reconstructions, and perform tissue characterization, all in a single imaging study. Thus, CMR is the most comprehensive imaging modality available today for the evaluation of CHD. Newer MRI sequences and post-processing tools will allow further development of quantitative methods of analysis, and opens the door for risk stratification in CHD. CMR also can interface with computer modeling, 3D printing, and other methods of understanding the complex anatomic and physiologic relationships in CHD.