Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Heart Failure.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The purpose of this review is to summarize the application of cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) in the diagnostic and prognostic evaluation of patients with heart failure (HF).

RECENT FINDINGS

CMR is an important non-invasive imaging modality in the assessment of ventricular volumes and function and in the analysis of myocardial tissue characteristics. The information derived from CMR provides a comprehensive evaluation of HF. Its unique ability of tissue characterization not only helps to reveal the underlying etiologies of HF but also offers incremental prognostic information. CMR is a useful non-invasive tool for the diagnosis and assessment of prognosis in patients suffering from heart failure.