Cardiac MRI

A specialist MRI scan of the heart using a 1.5T scanner, providing detailed structural and functional assessment of the cardiac chambers, valves, and myocardium. Interpreted by a cardiac radiologist with sub-specialist expertise. Available without contrast or with IV gadolinium contrast for enhanced tissue characterisation.

Cardiac MRI is regarded as the reference standard for non-invasive heart imaging, offering superior soft tissue contrast that allows detailed evaluation of myocardial structure, ventricular function, and valve dynamics without ionising radiation. The scan uses a 1.5 Tesla scanner and is interpreted by a radiologist with specific cardiac sub-specialisation, ensuring the nuances of heart motion and tissue signal are correctly assessed. The non-contrast cardiac MRI provides functional and structural information — chamber volumes, ejection fraction, wall motion abnormalities, and gross structural anatomy. Adding IV gadolinium contrast enables late gadolinium enhancement imaging, which reveals areas of myocardial fibrosis or scarring that may indicate prior ischaemic events, cardiomyopathy, or inflammatory conditions such as myocarditis. Cardiac MRI is particularly valuable for individuals with a family history of sudden cardiac death or cardiomyopathy, athletes wanting to screen for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, patients with inconclusive echocardiogram results, and anyone experiencing unexplained chest symptoms or palpitations. The scan is available at select London locations and requires no GP referral.