Cardiac MR imaging: Report of a working group sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Dramatic progress has been made over the past several years in the research and development of magnetic resonance (MR) techniques for imaging biologic structure and function, and much of this work has been supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). MR imaging has capabilities that are unique, as compared with other imaging modalities, for measurement and monitoring of biologic processes in vivo. Despite these capabilities, the use of MR imaging by cardiovascular and cardiopulmonary clinicians remains limited; in many institutions, clinicians rarely refer patients for MR examinations. The principal reasons for this include long imaging times with associated patient discomfort, low postprocessing speeds, inadequate access to patients during imaging, and lack of understanding of MR processes and benefits by clinicians and their associates. On October 28-29, 1996, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) sponsored a Working Group to explore the potential of MR for imaging the heart, lung, and vasculature. They recommend areas of research and development that could lead to more extensive clinical use of MR methods to improve the diagnosis and management of cardiovascular and cardiopulmonary disorders. Approximately 50 scientists, bioengineers, and clinicians from academia, industry, and government convened at the NIH Natcher Conference Center, Bethesda, Md.Dramatic progress has been made over the past several years in the research and development of magnetic resonance (MR) techniques for imaging biologic structure and function, and much of this work has been supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). MR imaging has capabilities that are unique, as compared with other imaging modalities, for measurement and monitoring of biologic processes in vivo. Despite these capabilities, the use of MR imaging by cardiovascular and cardiopulmonary clinicians remains limited; in many institutions, clinicians rarely refer patients for MR examinations. The principal reasons for this include long imaging times with associated patient discomfort, low postprocessing speeds, inadequate access to patients during imaging, and lack of understanding of MR processes and benefits by clinicians and their associates. On October 28-29, 1996, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) sponsored a Working Group to explore the potential of MR for imaging the heart, lung, and vasculature. They recommend areas of research and development that could lead to more extensive clinical use of MR methods to improve the diagnosis and management of cardiovascular and cardiopulmonary disorders. Approximately 50 scientists, bioengineers, and clinicians from academia, industry, and government convened at the NIH Natcher Conference Center, Bethesda, Md.