[Magnetic resonance tomography (MRT) in cardiovascular and lung diagnosis]

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a completely noninvasive technique for the evaluation of the cardiovascular system. With a multi-section-technique and the spin echo pulse sequence the entire heart can be examined within 10 minutes. All cardiac MR studies were performed with electrocardiographic (ECG) gating to obtain adequate resolution of the cardiac structures. With this technique patients with congenital and acquired heart diseases, with thoracic aortic aneurysms, with mediastinal and pulmonary mass lesions, with central pulmonary embolism and with pulmonary arterial hypertension were studied. MRI offers an enormous potential for cardiovascular diagnosis, even beyond the demonstration of pathoanatomy, because of the capability for direct tissue characterization and blood flow measurements.