[Use of magnetic resonance in the diagnosis of congenital and acquired cardiopathies. Preliminary note].

The authors describe their personal experience using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) in the evaluation of cardio-vascular diseases. MRI made it possible to obtain multiplanar anatomical images of the cardio-vascular system without X-rays and conventional contrast medium. MRI supplied with indirect flow evaluation, too. MRI was particularly useful in the assessment of congenital heart diseases, since it shows the heart chambers and the great vessels at the same time and in the different phases of cardiac revolution. MRI was also useful in the evaluation of many acquired heart diseases, such as myocardium diseases, valve diseases, myocardial ischemias, pericardium diseases. Moreover, MRI correctly showed aortic aneurysms. In all the 55 patients examined, it was possible to obtain a good definition of the cardiac structures, especially when "cardiac gating" was employed. In the 3 ventricular and in the 5 atrial defects, the dimensions of the defect and the dilatation of the involved cardiac chambers were precisely assessed. In the 6 aortic coarctations, MRI evaluated the level and the grade of the stenosis, with consequent definition of the anatomic type. Moreover, collateral circulation and dilatation before and/or after the stenosis were evident. In all the 7 complex cardiopathies examined (3 Fallot tetralogies, 1 Fallot pentalogy, 1 aortic cervical arch, and 2 Ebstein diseases) MRI demonstrated each single anomaly of the malformations, at both cardiac and vascular levels. In 2 patients with atrial fibrillation, MRI visualized endoatrial thrombi. In the 7 patients with previous myocardial infarction, the site of ischemia was depicted as a thinning of the wall, while the remaining myocardium appeared hypertrophic. MRI correctly demonstrated all thoracic aorta aneurysms, even in a case where both CT and angiography were negative, due to the aneurysm being thrombosed. Mural thrombi were evident with both MRI and CT, but not always visible with angiography. In the 5 dissected aneurysms, MRI--like CT--assessed the origin of the dissection, and the dimensions of the true and false lumen; moreover, it indirectly evaluated the slow and turbulent blood flow within the true lumen, and the presence of thrombi in the false lumen.