The Heart of Cardiac MRI
What gives an unequaled view of the heart, exposes you to no radiation, and allows doctors to evaluate your heart's condition swiftly and accurately? Cardiac MRI and it may be just what the cardiologist ordered.
Short for Magnetic Resonance Imaging, MRI has been a staple of imaging for many years. MRI employs the power of great, powerful magnets and radio waves rather than radiation to show clear images of your insides. With these images, physicians can identify and evaluate conditions affecting various internal organs and tissues, including the most important organ?your heart. For many people, cardiac MRI is a lifesaver.
Hearty Images
During a cardiac MRI examination, the patient lays on a flat table that slides into a tunnel-like machine. A loud knocking sound is heard while the MRI machine is on and the patient may be asked to hold his or her breath for a few seconds. These pauses in breathing decrease patient movement and result in clearer images. For some exams, a contrast dye is injected into the patient for a better view of the heart or arteries.
Once the exam is finished, doctors have picture-perfect images of the heart and its adjoining blood vessels. From the amount of fat and cholesterol (plaque) impeding the body's arteries to the amount of damage caused by a heart attack, cardiac MRI gives doctors the information needed for diagnosis and to begin treatment as soon as possible.
The Digital Difference
Thanks to digital progress, cardiac MRI is becoming even more helpful in heart health. A cardiac MRI can now take as little as fifteen minutes, and diagnoses can be made in a fraction of the time required of previous MRI technology. Some imaging facilities even provide advances that allow cardiac MRI examinations to be examined online, using a secure server. This permits doctors to look at cardiac MRI images at the office or even at home, resulting in immediate second or third opinions and faster, more precise diagnoses.
As cardiac MRI continues to progress, doctors are more able to get to the heart of an individual's problem. With this and other innovations in cardiac care, more of your family, friends, and neighbors can receive timely and appropriate medical treatment that may improve or even save their lives.
David Brantley enjoys writing about medical imaging news for TransAmerican Medical, a company that buys and sells OEC parts as well as Philips Medical equipment and parts. WEB MASTERS: Use of this article requires links to remain intact.