Abstract

The purpose of this article is to present some recent applications of diagnostic and interventional MRI in congenital heart disease. To date x-ray-based techniques have been the norm for most diagnostic and therapeutic applications. With the advent of ultrafast MRI and the development of MRI-compatible catheters and guide wires, the goal of achieving real-time guidance by MRI for interventions in congenital heart diseases has proven feasible. We briefly review the latest advances in cardiovascular MRI, and the development of MR-compatible devices for diagnostic and therapeutic applications such as ASD closure and pulmonary artery dilation.