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Several imaging methods such as perfusion scintigraphy (SPECT), positron emission tomography (PET) and dobutamine echocardiography are used routinely in the evaluation of myocardial ischemia for clinical practice. These examination techniques are also used to depict the chronic transmural scar tissue and viable residual myocardium at the infarcted area and to showing the thinned akinetic ventricular wall. This information is important for the evaluation of chronic myocardial infarction and in choosing the treatment protocol. Magnetic resonance imaging, with its increasing use parallel to the recent technologic advances in evaluation of cardiac pathologies, has also been used to show viable myocardium and to differentiate it from myocardial necrosis and scar tissue. The use of MRI for this purpose an opportunity of evaluating the cardiac pathologies with a single and non-invasive method. In this review, the role and routine clinical practice of MRI in diagnosis of myocardial ischemia and evaluation of myocardial viability are presented with a relevant literature review.

Magnetic resonance imaging, with its lasting technological development has been widely used in the diagnosis of heart and vessel diseases as a non-invasive imaging method in an increasing manner. Salient data were accumulated in recent years on the characteristics and advantages of this imaging technique in the evaluation of cardiovascular diseases. In this article, the role and practice of MRI in the diagnosis of congenital heart diseases as well as its importance in life-long follow-up and recheck of those patients operated in the early pediatric age were presented with a review of the literature.