Cardiac MRI Evaluation of Heart Failure and Cardiomyopathies.

Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) is an exciting noninvasive imaging modality with increasing utilization in the field of cardiovascular medicine. In conjunction with echocardiogram, computed tomography, and invasive therapies, CMR has provided exceptional capability to further evaluate complex clinical cardiac conditions. CMR provides both anatomical and physiological information of a variety of tissue types, without the need for ionizing radiation. This article aims to first review basic principles of CMR and later discuss MRI's role in diagnosis of cardiomyopathy and treatment implications.