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Magnetic resonance imaging of cardiac and paracardiac masses
J J Brown1, J A Barakos, C B Higgins
1Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University Medical Center, St Louis, Missouri.
Insights
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) offers excellent contrast for visualizing heart and pericardium masses. This review highlights MRI
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Imaging
- Medical Physics
- Radiology
Background:
- Cardiovascular masses require accurate detection and staging.
- Differentiating masses from normal cardiac structures is crucial.
- Existing imaging modalities have limitations in evaluating paracardiac and intracardiac masses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the utility of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) for evaluating cardiac and pericardial masses.
- To highlight MRI's ability to define the extent of these masses.
- To discuss the role of MRI in assessing tumor extension to the heart and pericardium.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on MRI for cardiac and pericardial masses.
- Analysis of MRI's contrast properties for blood pool visualization.
- Demonstration of MRI's capability in depicting tumor extension.
Main Results:
- ECG-gated MRI provides high contrast between the blood pool and cardiovascular structures.
- MRI effectively detects and defines the extent of intracardiac and paracardiac masses.
- MRI favorably depicts the extension of mediastinal, lung, and abdominal tumors to the heart and pericardium.
Conclusions:
- MRI is a valuable tool for the evaluation of primary and secondary cardiac and pericardial masses.
- MRI's ability to visualize tumor extension is a significant advantage.
- The role of MRI in cardiac mass assessment is expected to grow.
Abstract:
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with ECG-gated acquisition displays the blood pool as a signal void and thereby provides high contrast differentiation between cardiovascular structures and soft-tissue masses. The role of MRI for the detection and definition of the extent of paracardiac and intracardiac masses is reviewed. The extension of mediastinal, lung, and upper abdominal tumors to the heart and pericardium is depicted favorably by MRI and this attribute is also demonstrated. It is anticipated that MRI will have an increasing role in the evaluation of primary and secondary masses of the heart and pericardium.