MRI is a unique imaging test that combines magnetic fields and radio-frequencies to generate images of the body without radiation.  Over the past 15 years it has been increasingly used to obtain 2 dimensional, 3 dimensional, and now 4 dimensional images of the heart and large blood vessels.  It is now considered a "gold standard" test for many aspects of cardiovascular disease, particularly for the assessment of cardiac size, function and diseases of the heart muscle. 

The most common reasons for having a Cardiac MRI are to; i) determine what caused heart function to change, ii) assess blood flow to the heart muscle, iii) decide if a procedure to open heart blood vessels (ie: bypass surgery or stent), or protect against heart rhythm problems (ablation or ICD) will be beneficial or not, and iv) monitor congenital problems of the heart.  A cardiovascular MRI takes anywhere from 20 minutes to 90 minutes to perform depending on what questions need to be answered.

The Stephenson Centre uses a variety of imaging "protocols" tailored to answer the physician's question(s).  This approach provides a highly personalized imaging service where multiple questions can be answered within a single visit.

The imaging protocols, used either alone or in combination at the Stephenson Cardiac Imaging Centre are as follows:

ROUTINE:
Acute Cardiomyopathy (acute coronary syndrome, myocarditis, new-onset heart failure)
Chronic Cardiomyopathy (prior myocardial infarction, dilated cardiomyopathy)
Restrictive Cardiomyopathy (amyloidosis)
Constrictive / Pericardial disease
Stress perfusion imaging (evaluate for ischemia)
ARVC - Screening
Arrhythmia - Ventricular
Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
Sudden Cardiac Arrest
Pre-ICD / Pre-Cardiac Resynchronization
Cardiac Mass
Thrombus
Pulmonary Vein Angiography
Coronary MRA
Iron overload assessment (Thallasemia, Hemachromatosis)
Aorta MRA / Chronic Aortic dissection
Left Ventricular function - Oncology Pathway
Valvular Disease
Pulmonary hypertension

CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE:
Shunt - ASD / VSD / AVSD
Shunt - PDA
Valvular - Aortic / Mitral
Valvular - Ebstein
Aorta - Coarctation
Aorta - Vascular Ring
Aorta - Marfan / Ehlers Danlos
RVOT - Pulm Stenosis
RVOT - Tetralogy of Fallot
RVOT - Pulmonary atresia
RVOT - DORV
Complex - TGA Arterial Switch
Complex - TGA Mustard
Complex - L-TGA
Complex - Truncus arteriosus
Complex - Hypoplastic L Heart
Complex - Single V - Pre Bi-directional Glenn
Complex - Single V - Fontan
Complex - Other
Coronaries - Kawasaki
Coronaries - Anomalous