Hear Sue’s story and how a Cardiac MRI scan with Dr. Banypersad helped her:
Who would benefit from a Cardiac MRI?
Any adult patient:
- With chest pain or breathlessness to assess for heart failure and / or ischaemic heart disease
- With palpitations or blackouts to assess for structural heart disease, known as cardiomyopathies.
- Receiving cancer treatment to assess for myocarditis and LV ejection Fraction (LVEF).
- With a family history of heart disease which may be a sign of inherited cardiomyopathies.
- Who has had a heart attack in order to assess how much heart muscle has been affected and the most accurate assessment of heart’s pumping strength.
Find out more about Cardiac MRI scans
What does a Cardiac MRI involve?
You will lie on a bed which moves into a tunnel which is the MRI scanner. Before moving into the scanner, a cannula will be inserted into your vein and ECG electrodes attached to your chest.
You will wear some headphones for the entirety of the scan through which you will receive breathing instructions for each picture that is taken. The headphones also serve as mufflers to dampen the loud noise from the scanner.
A dye substance will be administered through the IV cannula approximately half way through the scan and depending on the type of cardiac MRI scan you are undergoing, a stressing agent called Regadenoson may also be administered at that time.
How long does a Cardiac MRI take?
It can take 45-60mins depending on the clinical questions being answered and also whether you are having a stress or non-stress cardiac MRI scan.
What happens after my MRI scan?
There are no restrictions after the scan. The Gadolinium administered is eliminated within 20-30 mins, if you have a stress MRI the effects of Regadenoson dissipates within 5 minutes. If you choose our service, reports will be sent to the referrers within 24 hours.
Is a Cardiac MRI scan safe?
Yes. There is no radiation involved and risk of adverse reactions to the IV dye substance (Gadolinium contrast) is <1%. For these reasons, repeat scans are often undertaken e.g. to assess aortic dimensions or to reassess heart function or inflammation. Patients with severe kidney disease or metallic implants should seek clarification first.
