Cardiovascular MRI 

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Division Services

A. Present indications include the evaluation of:

  1. Ischemic Heart Disease including
    a. Left ventricular structure and function
    b. Myocardial perfusion
    c. Dobutamine stress testing d. Myocardial viability
  2. Valvular heart disease
  3. Congenital heart disease
  4. Pericardial disease
  5. Cardiac and extracardiac masses   
  6. Diseases of the aorta and great vessels
  7. Anomalous coronary arteries and coronary artery bypass grafts - course and patency
  8. Right ventricular dysplasia
  9. Pulmonary vein evaluation
  10. Infiltrative myocardial diseases

B. Techniques currently used include:

1. Tomographic MRI for morphology with or without contrast agent.
2. Cine MRI for ventricular and valvular function at rest or during stress 
3. Magnetic resonance angiography and cine MRI of the aorta, great  vessels, anomalous coronary arteries, and coronary bypass grafts.
4. Myocardial tagging (allows detailed evaluation of myocardial function). 
5. Phase-contrast velocity mapping for blood flow quantification.
6. First-pass, contrast-enhanced MRI (for myocardial perfusion imaging at rest and/or during stress).
7. Delayed contrast-enhanced MRI (for myocardial tissue characterization and viability imaging).

Physicians/Scientists

Info for Referring Physicians

  • To schedule a cardiac MRI,
    call MRI scheduling at (434) 243-6888
  • For questions regarding cardiac MRI,
    call Dr. Kramer at (434) 243-6060 or e-mail at
    ckramer@virginia.edu

Mini-fellowships:  Monthly mini-fellowships for physicians are offered.  Included is a 20 hour didactic lecture series including physics and clinical applications, a 170 case series of images on CD, case experience on a clinical and research scanner, clinical reading sessions, weekly CMR research conferences, and data analysis training.  For questions regarding mini-fellowships, please contact Dr. Kramer at e-mail or phone # listed above.   

Research Interests

  • Stress testing - exercise and pharmacologic
  • Perfusion imaging
  • Myocardial viability in acute and chronic ischemic heart disease
  • Atherosclerotic plaque imaging
  • Coronary MR imaging
  • Interventional/Intravascular MR 
  • Peripheral arterial disease

Links

http://www.healthsystem.virginia.edu/internet/radiology/research/CardiacMRIhome.cfm