Magnetic resonance imaging in the evaluation of congestive cardiac failure

Congestive cardiac failure is the end-result of various cardiac disorders, and is a major contributor to morbidity, mortality, and financial burden throughout the world. Due to advances in the knowledge of the disease and scanner technology, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is playing an increasingly important role in the evaluation of cardiac failure, including in establishing diagnosis, problem solving, risk stratification, and monitoring of therapy. This review discusses and illustrates the role of MRI in the assessment of congestive cardiac failure.