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Review
. 2023 Apr 23;10(5):763.
doi: 10.3390/children10050763.

Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance from Fetal to Adult Life-Indications and Challenges: A State-of-the-Art Review

Sara Moscatelli  1   2 , Isabella Leo  3   4 , Veronica Lisignoli  5   6 , Siobhan Boyle  6   7 , Chiara Bucciarelli-Ducci  4   8 , Aurelio Secinaro  9 , Claudia Montanaro  4   6   10
Affiliations
Review

Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance from Fetal to Adult Life-Indications and Challenges: A State-of-the-Art Review

Sara Moscatelli et al. Children (Basel). .

Abstract

Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging offers a comprehensive, non-invasive, and radiation-free imaging modality, which provides a highly accurate and reproducible assessment of cardiac morphology and functions across a wide spectrum of cardiac conditions spanning from fetal to adult life. It minimises risks to the patient, particularly the risks associated with exposure to ionising radiation and the risk of complications from more invasive haemodynamic assessments. CMR utilises high spatial resolution and provides a detailed assessment of intracardiac and extracardiac anatomy, ventricular and valvular function, and flow haemodynamic and tissue characterisation, which aid in the diagnosis, and, hence, with the management of patients with cardiac disease. This article aims to discuss the role of CMR and the indications for its use throughout the different stages of life, from fetal to adult life.

Keywords: CMR; cardiovascular magnetic resonance; fetal CMR; pediatric CMR.

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Conflict of interest statement

All authors declare no conflict of interest. Chiara Bucciarelli Ducci is the Chief Executive Officer (part-time) for the Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance. She also has received speaker’s fees from Circle Cardiovascular Imaging, Bayer and Siemens Healthineers.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
bSFPP cine stack in a complex CHD with univentricular physiology. We can observe biventricular hypertrophy, dilated aortic root, subaortic stenosis, inlet ventricular septal defect.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Total cavopulmonary connection (TCPC) is unobstructed (right pulmonary artery-RPA, left pulmonary artery-LPA, azygous vein AZY, hepatic veins HV). Pulmonary arteriovenous malformations in the right lower lobe, presumably due to streaming of hepatic venous flow to left lung (green arrow).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Role of cardiovascular magnetic resonance in patients with chest pain. A 59-year-old man presenting with angina and normal echocardiographic examination. Late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) sequences revealed absence of myocardial infarction or fibrosis. However, both qualitative and quantitative perfusion mapping demonstrated inducible perfusion defect during adenosine infusion (green and red arrow, respectively), suggesting significant underlying disease in the right coronary artery territory.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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