Scientific publications

Selection of the Best of 2016 in Cardiac Imaging: Advances in Stress Cardiac Magnetic Resonance

Mar 2, 2017 | Magazine: Revista Española de Cardiología

Rodríguez Palomares JF (1), Maceira González AM (2), Saura D (3), López Fernández T (4), Pérez de Isla L (5), Barba Cosials J (6).


In the last decade, stress cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging has become well-established as an excellent technique for the diagnosis and prognostic stratification of patients with acute or chronic ischemic heart disease.

The main advantages of CMR over other stress techniques relate to the high spatial and temporal resolution (superior to myocardial perfusion scintigraphy), the lack of ionizing radiation, and the high-quality images that are not limited by an echocardiographic window. Stress CMR is diagnostic in more than 97% of cases1 and can be successfully performed and interpreted in 95% of patients with a body mass index ≥ 30. The images allow diagnosis of subendocardial ischemia, nontransmural necrosis, viable myocardium, and dysfunctional myocardium in patients with ischemic heart disease.

CITATION Rev Esp Cardiol (Engl Ed). 2017 Mar;70(3):214-215. doi: 10.1016/j.rec.2016.12.018