Abstract:
Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging is unsurpassed
in the evaluation of myocardial anatomy, function
and mass. Myocardial perfusion pre- and post-stress, as well
as late enhancement is increasingly used in the work-up for
ischaemic heart disease, especially in establishing the presence
of myocardial viability. Late enhancement patterns can
contribute substantially to the diagnosis of myocarditis and
various cardiomyopathies as well as infiltrative diseases and
tumours. With their high incidence of cardiovascular disease,
patients on the African continent could potentially benefit
enormously from the proper utilisation of this exciting,
continually evolving and versatile technique, via thorough
didactic and clinical training as well as interdisciplinary
co-operation.
