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Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging is a safe, non-invasive technique for assessing heart structure and function and is able to answer many of the clinical questions previously unanswerable despite the use of multiple tests. It represents the current gold standard of imaging to resolve complex questions, and will become the routine method for all cardiac investigation.
The complete information that cardiac MR provides prevents the present need for multiple imaging tests anddiagnostic duplication. In addition to providing previously unattainable diagnoses, one of its greatest benefits is the ability to guide most appropriately the application of complex therapies such as coronary percutaneous intervention (angioplasty), coronary artery bypass graft surgery, implantable defibrillators and bi-ventricular pacing, so that the right patients get the right treatment.
Aims of the Unit:
To improve cardiac care by providing an accurate, reproducible, non-invasive and safe investigation that provides better diagnostic information in patients with cardiac disease.- To provide patients with a safe investigation that prevents the need for multiple other tests and can direct the appropriate further intervention to those patients that will benefit.
- To develop a greater understanding of cardiac disease and methods of treating this through clinical research.
Personnel
The unit benefits from an inter-departmental cardiology and radiology team approach lead by Dr Nick Bellenger, with Dr Simon Harries, Dr Richard Thomas together with key radiographers:
Dr N Bellenger
Consultant interventional cardiologist and lead cardiac MR clinician. Extensive clinical and research track record in cardiac MR having gained an MD in cardiac MR at The National Heart and Lung Institute, Royal Brompton Hospital. Member of The Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance and The British Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance.
Dr S Harries
Consultant radiologist with extensive computerized tomography (CT) and MR body and cardiac imaging experience.
Dr R Thomas
Consultant radiologist with extensive computerized tomography (CT) and MR body and cardiac imaging experience.
Details of cardiac MR
The Royal Devon and Exeter has a state of the art Siemens Avanto MRI scanner with full cardiac capability, and is due to augment this with a second scanner soon.
For further information on what is involved in having an MR scan please see the CMR patient leaflet.
Click here for Scientific CMR Publications.
Click here for the Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Unit patient information leaflet.
Introduction