In the last years, cardiac MRI techniques have progressively improved. No other noninvasive imaging modality provides the same degree of contrast and temporal resolution for the assessment of cardiovascular anatomy and pathology. Contraindications MRI are the same as for other magnetic resonance techniques.
The primary advantage of MRI is extremely high contrast resolution between different tissue types, including blood. Moreover, MRI is a true 3 dimensional imaging modality and images can be obtained in any oblique plane along the true cardiac axes while preserving high temporal and spatial resolution with precise demonstration of cardiac anatomy without the administration of contrast media.
Due to these properties, MRI can precisely characterize cardiac function and quantify cavity volumes, ejection fraction, and left ventricular mass. In addition, cardiac MRI has the ability to quantify flow (see flow quantification), including bulk flow in vessels, pressure gradients across stenosis, regurgitant fractions and shunt fractions. Valve morphology and area can be determined and the severity of stenosis quantified. In certain disease states, such as myocardial infarction, the contrast resolution of MRI is further improved by the addition of extrinsic contrast agents (see myocardial late enhancement).
A dedicated cardiac coil, and a field strength higher than 1 Tesla is recommended to have sufficient signal. Cardiac MRI acquires ECG gating. Cardiac gating (ECGs) obtained within the MRI scanner, can be degraded by the superimposed electrical potential of flowing blood in the magnetic field. Therefore, excellent contact between the skin and ECG leads is necessary. For male patients, the skin at the lead sites can be shaved. A good cooperation of the patient is necessary because breath holding at the end of expiration is practiced during the most sequences.

See also Displacement Encoding with Stimulated Echoes.
For Ultrasound Imaging (USI) see Cardiac Ultrasound at Medical-Ultrasound-Imaging.com.

See also the related poll results: 'In 2010 your scanner will probably work with a field strength of' and 'MRI will have replaced 50% of x-ray exams by'

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Cytogen Corporation of Princeton, NJ is a product-driven, oncology-focused biopharmaceutical company. Cytogen markets several products through its in- house oncology sales force: ProstaScint® (a monoclonal antibody-based imaging agent used to image the extent and spread of prostate cancer); BrachySeed™ I-125 and BrachySeed™ Pd-103 (two uniquely designed, next generation radioactive seed implants for the treatment of localized prostate cancer), and NMP22® BladderChek™ (a highly accurate and convenient antibody-based point-of-care staging test for bladder cancer detection). Cytogen has also developed Quadramet®, a skeletal targeting therapeutic radiopharmaceutical for the relief of bone pain in prostate and other types of cancer. Cytogen's pipeline comprises product candidates at various stages of clinical development, including fully human monoclonal antibodies and cancer vaccines based on PSMA (prostate specific membrane antigen) technology, which was exclusively licensed from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.
A license and marketing agreement with AMAG Pharmaceuticals Inc' (formerly Advanced Magnetics), to market the functional molecular imaging agent Combidex®, was terminated in 2007.

Distributor of MRI contrast agent Feridex® in Israel.

The principal activity of this Japan-based Group, is to manufacture and sell diagnostic substances and reagents. The Group's other activities include wholesale of reagents and analysis equipment. The Group has one consolidated subsidiary located in Japan. Diagnostic substances and reagents accounted for 83% of fiscal 2002 revenues; medical equipment, 12% and blood vessel contrast mediums, 5%. Eiken Chemical Co., Ltd. distributes Feridex®.

The company is a leading manufacturer and developer of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners. The Patient Friendly MRI Company, formed in 1978, is engaged in the business of inventing, manufacturing, selling and servicing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners. FONAR is the oldest MRI company in the world. After receiving hundreds of millions in a windfall from protecting their MRI patents, they made a MRI scanner that no other MRI manufacturer has. One that the patient stands in and they call Indomitable, the Stand-Up MRI. Patients like it because it is the least claustrophobic, most comfortable MRI on the market. Doctors like it because of its superior image quality and for the first time, the patient can be scanned in the weight-bearing position, or the position of pain or symptom. In October of 2004, the company changed the product name of the Stand-Up MRI to the Upright MRI. Fonar introduced the first "open" MRI scanner in 1980 and is the originator of the iron-core nonsuperconductive and permanent magnet technology.

MRI Scanners:

- 0.6T: