What has happened to cardiac MRI?

Abstract

Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has made significant technical advances over the past 20 years. There has been a steady increase in the number of scientific publications. Recent trends show that the rate of publications is increasing more rapidly for cardiology departments than for radiology departments. In examining PubMed citations, the majority of publications continue to be authored by both cardiologists and radiologists. Despite the growing research interest, relatively few clinically indicated cardiac MRI examinations are performed compared with competing tests. Competing technology and relatively poor reimbursement may in part explain the slow acceptance of cardiac MRI.