Cardiac MRI
Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is used to diagnose congenital heart defects. It enables exact examination of the type of heart disease and the functioning of the individual heart. MRI is applied especially when alternative procedures such as echocardiography (ultrasound examination of the heart) cannot answer these questions. In addition, MRI is an alternative to invasive heart catheterization and computed tomography (CT), both of which involve exposure to radiation.
MRI has no known side effects and is gentle on the patient. It can be repeated, if necessary, without radiation exposure having to be taken into account. In addition, it is a very innovative technique. It can measure a large number of important functional parameters and can thus increase the spectrum of diagnostic and therapeutic possibilities. One of the largest and most successful research groups in Europe is working at the German Heart Center Berlin on constantly improving the methods of measurement in congenital heart defects. The institution also has state-of-the-art equipment for clinical application: a 1.5 Tesla and a 3.0 Tesla MRI machine.
