ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION Cardiac function, generally expressed as, but not restricted to, left ventricular (LV) function, is of critical importance as it relates to mortality and clinical prognosis in a broad range of cardiac pathologies.1 Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) has the unique capability of precisely determining LV function without geometric assumptions due to its three-dimensional (3-D) nature and high temporal and spatial resolutions.2 In coronary artery disease (CAD), myocardial viability is another important parameter, as patients with LV dysfunction but with viable myocardium undergoing revascularization can benefit from up to an 80% reduction in annual mortality.3 Evaluation of myocardial viability by CMR using late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) protocols in these patients is now considered a gold standard.4,5
This chapter will discuss the technical and clinical considerations of cardiac magnetic resonance in the evaluations of patients with CAD.
