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Purpose of Review: The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of investigational work which has demonstrated the ability of MRI to define abnormalities caused by coronary heart disease. There have been numerous recent advances in the MRI assessment of coronary heart disease which warrant review., Recent Findings: Newly implemented techniques have made MRI a rapid and definitive method for delineating cardiac gross morphology, global and regional cardiac function, cardiac muscle viability, and cardiac muscle perfusion. Significant advances have been made in characterizing coronary artery anatomical course and lumen size, coronary artery flow, coronary artery plaque, cardiac metabolism, and cardiac molecular characteristics with MRI in patients with coronary heart disease., Summary: MRI is a clinically valuable technique for cardiac evaluation which is steadily becoming more widely utilized. In many areas of assessment it is the clinical gold standard for noninvasive imaging in coronary heart disease.

During the last few decades, significant strides have been made in the field of noninvasive imaging for the patient with congenital heart disease. Echocardiography and MRI continue to provide improved means of anatomic and functional assessment in children and adults with congenital heart lesions. This review reports some of the recent advances in tissue Doppler, strain rate, and integrated backscatter, and highlights exciting current and future potential developments in their application. We also discuss advances in MR in evaluation of cardiac anatomy and function in congenital heart disease.