Recent advances in cardiovascular imaging : part 1

Abstract

Cardiovascular imaging as a subspecialty field within the mother specialties of Cardiology and Radiology has become increasingly popular over the last decade. The main reasons behind this are (a) the rapidly expanding repertoire of imaging modalities, as seen with the advent of cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) and cardiac computed tomography (CCT), (b) the technological improvements which greatly improve the reliability of these examinations, exemplified by rapid tomographic scanning, real time 3D echocardiography and the introduction of ultrasonic contrast agents, and (c) the potential to reduce the need for invasive investigations, represented mainly by the wide choice of functional imaging modalities to detect cardiac ischaemia, and the tissue characterisation potential of CMR. In this review, the author will summarise the technological advances in cardiovascular imaging, highlighting their important clinical role. The first part of this series will deal with echocardiography, while the second part will address the role of cardiac tomographic imaging (Computed tomography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging).