Contrast-enhanced MR Imaging of the Heart: Overview of the Literature

Abstract

The use of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging for cardiac diagnosis is expanding, aided by the administration of paramagnetic contrast agents for a growing number of clinical applications. This overview of the literature considers the principles and applications of cardiac MR imaging with an emphasis on the use of contrast media. Clinical applications of contrast material-enhanced MR imaging include the detection and characterization of intracardiac masses, thrombi, myocarditis, and sarcoidosis. Suspected myocardial ischemia and infarction, respectively, are diagnosed by using dynamic first-pass and delayed contrast enhancement. Promising new developments include blood pool contrast media, labeling of myocardial precursor cells, and contrast-enhanced imaging at very high fields.

Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticle Probes for Molecular Imaging

“…Larger diameters are available and are useful in such enterprises as cell tracking 134,58 and separation, 73 cell rheology and membrane deformation, 38,151 and as contrast agents for the gastrointestinal tract, 54 but have limited functionality in molecular imaging applications due to their limited accessibility to the neo-and microvasculature. Categories of SPIO, based on their overall diameter (including iron oxide core and hydrated coating), are noted in the literature 152 as oral-SPIO at between 300 nm and 3.5 µm; standard SPIO (SS-PIO) at approximately 60-150 nm; ultrasmall SPIO (US-PIO) of approximately 10-40 nm 156 ; and monocrystalline iron oxide nanoparticles (MION-a subset of USPIO 34 ) of approximately 10-30 nm. 135,158 MION nanoparticles are so named to underline the single crystal nature of their core.…”

Cardiac Flow Analysis Applied to Phase Contrast Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Heart

“…For example, lung tissue occludes the heart, which results in a distortion of the static magnetic field, 12 can lead to detection of false blood signals. It is therefore crucial to use good quality images for computational reconstruction of the motion field in all our studies.…”

Delayed Enhancement MR Imaging: Utility in Myocardial Assessment

“…MR imaging can show functional impairment, biventricular hypertrophy, and nonspecific inhomogeneous gadolinium enhancement (Fig 14). Ventricular enhancement may also occur in certain forms of glycogen storage diseases (25).…”