Why would I want to order a cardiac MRI on my patient with valvular disease if theyve already had an echocardiogram?
There are many reasons. Most relate to the fact that MRI is a much more quantitative test. In patients with valvular regurgitation, MRI can better quantify how leaky the valve is. This is especially important for patients with mitral regurgitation when the regurgitant jet is eccentric. In patients with calcific valvular stenosis, it can better visualize the valve and directly assess how well it opens. In addition to assessing the valves themselves, MRI is also better at quantifying the effect of the valvular disease on the cardiac chambers. The difference between echocardiography and MRI can sometimes be startling. For example, MRI has demonstrated mild mitral regurgitation in some patients who were thought to have severe, eccentric mitral regurgitation based echocardiograms from nationally and internationally recognized centers. For more information on the value of cardiac MRI in assessing patients with mitral regurgitation, click here.
