[Cardiac magnetic resonance: clinical applications]

Cardiovascular disease is the most frequent cause of mortality in the developed countries and represents a serious social, economic and health problem. Although very diverse, useful techniques exist for diagnosing cardiac diseases, it is frequently necessary to ask for more than one test to reach a specific diagnosis. Magnetic resonance is a harmless, well tolerated and safe technique, which is currently available in the majority of hospitals. This technique makes it possible in a single exploration to study the anatomy of the heart and to make a qualitative, semi-quantitative and quantitative assessment of the parameters of cardiac function. It provides information of cardiac and vascular anatomy and function in complex congenital cardiopathies. Besides, with the administration of intravenous contrast, it enables knowledge to be gained of myocardial viability in ischaemic cardiopathy. Hence, cardiac magnetic resonance is emerging as one of the most promising techniques for the study of congenital and acquired cardiac pathology.