Non-Invasive Imaging for Congenital Heart Disease – Recent Progress in Cardiac MRI

Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) has become an important tool in evaluating congenital heart disease (CHD) in children and adults. By learning more about the advantages and limitations of CMR, clinicians and surgeons increasingly use the images and data acquired by CMR for the management of patients with CHD. MRI technology is evolving fast, and techniques such as 3D-MR angiography, phase contrast flow measurements, functional images to quantify cardiac function and stress testing are nowadays integrated parts of clinical care for patients with CHD. New technologies involve 4D-Flow measurement, “real-time” MRI or as a more future perspective MRI based catheter interventions. This article intends to give an overview over the role of CMR in CHD, with a special focus on the latest development of the past 5 years and an outlook to the techniques on the horizon.