Case Session 01: Ischemic Heart Disease and Acute Chest Pain (2018)-How to Perform CMR in the Acute Chest Pain Scenario

How to Perform CMR in the Acute Chest Pain Scenario

Video Transcription

Video Summary

Cardiac MRI is valuable in emergency evaluation of acute chest pain, where standard screening often fails to give a firm diagnosis. It helps distinguish myocardial infarction, myocarditis, takotsubo cardiomyopathy, and other causes, even when coronary angiography shows no obstruction. MRI techniques like cine imaging, T2 imaging, perfusion, LGE, and mapping identify edema, scar, perfusion defects, and wall-motion abnormalities. It improves diagnostic accuracy, predicts short-term outcomes, reduces unnecessary testing and admissions, and may be cost-saving. Despite logistical and reimbursement challenges, cardiac MRI can provide a correct diagnosis in about 90% of acute chest pain cases.

Keywords

cardiac MRI

acute chest pain

myocardial infarction

myocarditis

takotsubo cardiomyopathy