Looking for the Right Diagnosis? Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Imaging Can Help Differentiate Cardiomyopathies

Abstract

Differentiating cardiomyopathies is a common clinical quandary in cardiology. Getting the right diagnosis is important for guiding patient management and providing prognosis. Incorrect or uncertain diagnoses can lead to further unnecessary investigations and/or treatment decisions applied inappropriately, which can have consequences for both the patient and health care costs. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging offers strength here due to its precision and breadth in assessing cardiac function and tissue characterisation. This review aims to raise awareness among cardiologists and physicians of the important insights provided by CMR-insights that can improve diagnosis and guide management, as well as aid in risk stratification, in different cardiomyopathies.

Keywords: Cardiomyopathy; Cardiovascular magnetic resonance; Tissue characterisation.