Coronary MR angiography: a review

With the advent of faster magnetic resonance imaging techniques, magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) of the coronary vessels has become a reality. Coronary MRA is a non-invasive imaging technique and preliminary clinical studies appear very promising. Coronary MRA can detect from 63% to 90% of all hemodynamically significant (= 50%) coronary lesions. Typically one can visualize the proximal 5.5 cm of the right coronary artery (RCA), the left main (LM) coronary artery, the proximal 4.5 cm of the left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery and approximately 1.5 cm of the left circumflex (LCx) coronary artery. The current limitations of coronary MRA include: the inability to visualize the more distal portion of the coronary arteries and coronary artery branches, the need for consistent breath-holding and the need for special patient positioning. Coronary MRA techniques are improving and we feel will become an integral part for the evaluation of patients with ischemic heart disease.