Magnetic resonance imaging of the heart compared with anatomic and ultrasonographic data.

The authors present a correlation study between the anatomy of the heart and its appearance with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasonography (US). Six hearts were studied by MR, then sliced along the same planes. The results are presented and compared with the data obtained in volunteers by MRI and ultrasonography. The correlation between the MRI of isolated hearts and their anatomic slices is excellent, the thinnest anatomic details are reproduced. The use of double oblique slices provides incidences similar to those of ultrasonography. The same incidences can be obtained in vivo. The morphologic study of the heart by these imaging techniques is thus very precise, as well as the study of cardiac volumes.