ABSTRACT
Stress magnetic cardiac resonance imaging (MRI) development is in progress. Many cardiac imaging technics already known are completed by this safe radiation free exam with a short time acquisition (30minutes) and a good diagnostic performance in particular for patients with three vessels coronary artery diseases. Best indication concerns symptomatic patients unable to exercise with intermediate or high pretest probability. Pharmacological heart stress can be induced with vasodilatators or dobutamine to identify the presence and extent of myocardial ischemia, with high precision to guide coronary vessels revascularization. MRI gives many other interesting informations like heart anatomy, left ventricular function. Myocardial viability can be assessed with study of late gadolinium enhancement or analysis of contractile reserve with low dose of dobutamine.
