Cor Vasa 2011, 53(11):644-648 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2011.160

Unusual use of magnetic resonance imaging in diagnosis of myocardial infarction

Roman Panovský^1,*, Věra Feitová², Karin Poloková¹, Vladimír Kincl¹, Jaroslav Meluzín¹, Ota Hlinomaz¹, Jiří Sikora¹

¹ I. interní kardioangiologická klinika, ICRC, FN u sv. Anny, Lékařská fakulta Masarykovy univerzity, Brno

² Klinika zobrazovacích metod, FN u sv. Anny, Lékařská fakulta Masarykovy univerzity, Brno, Česká republika

Due to a very rapid recent development of magnetic resonance technologies, this imaging modality can now be used more often in an important part of patients with cardiovascular diseases. The spectrum of diagnoses, in which magnetic resonance imaging offers much better or even entirely new information about heart anatomy, function and perfusion, has been widening. Late post-contrast enhancement represents one of the options in myocardial imaging.
Our case-report demonstrates the possible use of magnetic resonance imaging in a rather atypical indication - in a patient with burning chest pain and mild positivity of cardiac necrosis markers but without electrocardiographic changes consistent with acute myocardial infarction and with no coronary artery stenoses. Echocardiography failed to reveal any significant pathology, CT angiography scan of the pulmonary artery excluded acute pulmonary embolism. Uncertainties about definite diagnosis were only resolved using magnetic resonance imaging which showed a non-transmural scar in the middle and apical segments of the left ventricular lateral wall.

Keywords: Magnetic resonance; Acute myocardial infarction; Contrast medium

Published: November 1, 2011  Show citation