Analysis of cardiac function from MR images

Recent research and development in cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has shown that a single exam, performed entirely in an MR scanner, might well replace the current sequence of tests for coronary disease. Though an MR scanner is expensive, the ability to consolidate diagnostic tests into a single session would significantly reduce costs and increase convenience for the patient. MRI might also provide the physician with diagnostic information on myocardial function that is not available from the standard battery of tests. In this article, we concentrate on one aspect of a cardiac MRI exam that provides previously unavailable information: assessment of myocardial contraction.