[Fast and ultra-fast MRI imaging of the heart]

Conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is capable of providing satisfactory morphological images of the heart and the surrounding structures. It has further evolved into a well accepted modality for functional cardiac studies such as flow quantification and volumetry. MRI has, however, been hampered by long image acquisition times. This combined with its non-real-time nature and the limited spatial resolution hs made it difficult to extend MRT to the study of small cardiac structures. Recent technical improvements have made breath-held or real-time MRI feasible and thus laid the foundations for further applications in the field of cardiovascular imaging, notably MR coronary angiography, imaging of cardiac valve leaflets, as well as first-pass perfusion studies. Moreover ultrafast MR techniques may eventually replace conventional data acquisition strategies and thus drastically increase patient throughput by shortening acquisition time. This article provides an overview of the technical advances in MRI and their application to the cardiovascular system and discusses possibilities of combined ultrafast and interventional strategies.