MR imaging of congenital heart disease

Patients with congenital heart disease often require mild sedation for the performance of their examination. If adequate monitoring of systemic oxygen saturation and heart rate is performed, then these patients may be adequately studied by MR imaging. Cardiac examination using spin echo pulse sequences provides morphologic information that allows evaluation of situs, ventricular morphology, and atrioventricular and ventriculoarterial connection. Gradient reversal acquisitions display changes in the size and shape of the atria and ventricles as well as demonstration of intracardiac and extracardiac shunts and abnormal flow across the cardiac valves. This information allows evaluation of the underlying congenital abnormality as well as the pathologic sequelae of the cardiac dysmorphology. Cardiac MR examination is a useful means of minimally invasive diagnosis of congenital heart disease and evaluation of its surgical palliation.