Valve disease

Although echocardiography remains the primary imaging modality for valvular heart disease (VHD) diagnosis, cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) has gained much interest in this field over the last few years. CMR allows for three-dimensional imaging of the cardiovascular system, using a large field of view, and reconstruction in any given plane. Its capability to quantify flow allows for accurate measurement of regurgitation, cardiac shunt volumes/ratios, and differential flow volumes (e.g. left and right pulmonary arteries). In addition, CMR provides insights into the aetiology/mechanism of VHD, the precise quantification of VHD severity, and the evaluation of myocardial response (function, remodelling, and fibrosis). This chapter discusses several CMR techniques for evaluation of patients with VHD. Important tips and pitfalls in the image acquisition and post-processing analysis will be also discussed, providing the users the necessary framework for its clinical application.