Abstract
Using KAIS 0.15 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging system, ECG gated magnetic resonance image (MRI) of cardiovascular system was obtained in 8 normal volunteers and 10 patients with various cardiovascular diseases diagnosed at Seoul National University Hospital.
The findings of cardiovascular MRI were analysed and the results were as follows ;
1) ECG gated MRI revealed datailed normal anatomy of heart including both atrioventricles and great vessels in axial, sagittal and coronary sections with natural contrast of moving blood without contrast media.
2) Dynamic changes of both ventricular walls in systolic and diastolic phase were revealed in sequential axial MRI, and increased signals were detected in left ventricle and descending aorta due to slow flow in end diastole.
3) Left ventricular aneurysm and myocardial thinning were shown in 2 cases of myocardial infarction. Enlarged left atrium was noted in 1 cases of mitral stenosis. Segmental analysis was possible in 3 cases of corrected transposition of great vessels.
4) Enlarged lumen, intimal flap and irregular luminal narrowing were detected in each of ascending aortic aneurysm, dissecting aneurysm and Takayasu's arteritis respectively. Pericardial effusion due to lymphoma revealed low signal encircling heart in contrast with neighboring mediastinal structures and cardiac wall.
5) MRI is a new promising modality in the diagnosis of cardiovascular system, which has potentiality to give a hemodynamic information in addition to the anatomical detalis.