Provocative MRI catheterization

Background Invasive right heart catheterization plays a central role in the investigation of patients with cardiac and pulmonary vascular disease. Physiological provocations during invasive heart catheterization augment the diagnostic yield and can provide useful prognostic information. MRI catheterization combines invasive hemodynamic measurements with MRI structural and functional evaluations thus providing superior diagnostic information than either test alone. An additional benefit to both patient and operator is no ionizing radiation, which is of particular value in pediatric patients.