Advanced Imaging to Help Guide Your Heart Care
Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), also known as a heart MRI, uses powerful magnetic fields to create detailed images of your heart. We can use a cardiac MRI to see the heart’s structures and how well your heart is working. Your St. Luke’s care team will use the images from your cardiac MRI to understand your symptoms, make a diagnosis and create a personalized care plan for you.
Our caring, compassionate team members are here to support you throughout your cardiac MRI. We’ll make sure you and your doctor have the answers you need to make the best decisions possible about your health.
Why Do I Need a Cardiac MRI?
Your doctor may order a cardiac MRI to:
- Check your heart for damage after a heart attack
- Diagnose a range of heart conditions, including congenital (present from birth) disorders, an enlarged heart, cancer of the heart and others
- Find the cause of heart failure
- Find out whether you have a heart valve disorder
Am I a Good Candidate for a Cardiac MRI?
Your cardiac MRI should be safe and painless. However, the powerful magnetic fields of a cardiac MRI machine can be dangerous if you have certain kinds of metal devices or implants, such as:
- Cochlear (inner ear) implants
- Neuromuscular stimulators
- Some clips for brain aneurysms
- Some dental implants
- Some older pacemakers and cardioverter defibrillators
Talk to your doctor or dentist before your test about whether your metal implants are safe for an MRI.
What Should I Expect During My Cardiac MRI?
Our technologists will perform your exam in the hospital or imaging center. If you have metal in or on your clothes, such as a zipper in your jeans or a metal wire in your bra, we’ll ask you to change into a hospital gown. You may have an intravenous (IV) line in your arm during the test if you need a contrast substance to make it easier for us to see details in the images of your heart.
The MRI machine looks like a ring or a doughnut. You’ll lie on a table that slides into the MRI machine. Your technologist will watch the test from another room, but they’ll be able to talk to you during the test. The table will slide into the MRI machine, where you’ll need to lie still. The machine may be loud as it scans. Your cardiac MRI should last between 30 and 90 minutes.
After the test, you can go back to your normal activities. It may take a few days to get the results of your test. Your doctor will go over the results with you.