cardiac mri paper

8/2/2019 Cardiac MRI Paper

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Cardiac MRI

Mitral Valve Prolapse

Sara Austin

Ms. Mclarnan

12/13/2010

Mea 1290


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Cardiac MRI

Cardiac MRIs, or otherwise known as Magnetic resonance imaging of the heart, is a test that

scans detailed images of the hearts surrounding tissues, arteries, valves, major vessels, and any

other part of the heart that is needed. Magnetic resonance imaging test does not include any type

of surgery or instruments inserted into the body; it is a scan using a magnetic field with radio

frequency pulses to portray images still or moving on a computer of the desired area of the body.

In this case, the desired body part is the heart.

The MRI is a large cylinder shaped tube surrounded by a circular magnet. The exam table

moves in and out of the tube, to capture all realms of the body. If weight or claustrophobia is an

issue, open MRIs is an option. MRIs do not use ionizing radiation like CT scans or X-rays,

which can cause cancer. It is a very safe alternative for doctors to treat, diagnose, and monitor apatients heart.

History

In 1973, the first nuclear magnetic resonance was published, which is what it was called

before being used clinically, in the 1980s. In 1984 the name was changed to Magnetic

resonance imaging. At this time, doctors would use ECG gating, breath holding techniques, and

making fast breathing scan techniques. These techniques included characterization of abnormal

or normal heart rhythm, and cine imaging.

In the late 1990s, the Society of Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance became popularly

known from being called echocardiography to being called magnetic resonance imaging, which

is known world-wide and saving many more lives with its advanced detailed images.

Preparations

Before the test takes place, a screening form will need to be filled out. This will include

questions concerning previous surgeries, serious health issues, any metal objects in the body, or

having and medical devices in the body, such as a cardiac pacemaker. Some medical devices

will not interfere with the MRI; Asking the physician or technician will determine if a certain

implanted medical device is safe or not. The majority of metal implants that are implanted in the

body do not affect MRIs neither, except for a few. The physician will make the determination.


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No accessories are accessible in the MRI, such as jewelry, hearing aids, eyeglasses, dentures,

pens, pocketknives, nor anything magnetic. If the patient is a child, sedation is usually required

to be able to complete the exam without any movement. Special preparation instructions would

be given to the child such as whether or not to eat or drink any fluids prior to the exam.

No reports have been made of any ill effects on pregnant women, but the physician should be

advised if so. Sometimes during a cardiac MRI, a special dye would be injected to highlight the

specific area of the heart needed to be seen. Certain diet preparations may be made for the

patient for this additional procedure.

Risks and Effects

When appropriate safety guidelines are followed, there are almost no risks to the patient

receiving an MRI. If contrast material was injected to highlight certain regions of the heart,

minor reactions could occur but are easily regulated with medication. Nephrogenic systemic

fibrosis can affect a patient with poor kidney function, which is caused by the contrast injection

material.

Allergic reactions could also occur, which the physicians can regulate immediately. If the

patient has a medical device implanted that contains metal, it may cause problems or

malfunctions during the MRI exam. If a patient has not received any medications for the MRI,

the patient will be able to return to the normal daily activities as usual.

The Cardiac MRI is a fast noninvasive imaging that does not use ionizing radiation. MRI

images are very clear, which help physicians diagnose patients and monitoring any abnormalities

of the heart, including slow blood supply, inflamed arteries on vessels, scarring, or any other

issue concerning the heart. The effects of the cardiac MRI are mainly beneficial for the patient

and their treatment.

Mitral Valve Prolapse

Mitral valve prolapse is a heart condition in which the mitral valve, which separates the left

atrium from the left ventricle, does not close the proper way it should. When the left ventricles

contracts, the prolapse, which is the valve, moves up like a parachute into the atrium. This

causes blockage of regular blood flow. Other names known to describe mitral prolapse include

Barlows syndrome, floppy valve syndrome, and ballooning mitral valve syndrome.


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Causes

When the prolapse is working properly, it prevents the blood from flowing backwards. When

the prolapse is irregular, it can cause heart rhythm problems, bacterial infections, and the

backflow of blood. Mitral valve prolapse is associated with Graves disease and is known to be

hereditary. It is also known to be associated with Marfan syndrome, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome,

scoliosis, Osteogenesis imperfect, and polycystic kidney disease.

Signs and Symptoms

A patient with mitral valve prolapse usually does not show any signs of strong

symptoms. Some symptoms that may occur include chest pain, palpitations, racing or irregular

heartbeats, feeling fatigue, coughing, and shortness of breath while lying down or physical

activity. These symptoms may progress overtime, or may not show at all.

Treatment

The treatment of mitral valve prolapse includes medications and/ or surgery, depending on

how serious the patients symptoms and MRI findings are. Some of the tests used for looking for

mitral valve prolapse are cardiac MRIs, electrocardiograms, a stress test, and if surgery is

necessary, a cardiac catheterization. If the diagnosing is not too serious, some of the medications

that would be prescribed include beta blockers, for irregular heartbeats, aspirin, to reduce the risk

of blood clots, propranolol, for chest pain, and prescription anticoagulants, which are blood

thinners. When mitral valve prolapse is severe, surgery is necessary and can include valve repair

and/or valve replacement.

Conclusion

Cardiac MRIs are extremely accurate and precise tools for physicians to interpret any part of

the heart for diagnosing, treatment and monitoring the patient. The cardiac MRI is a very

important and precise test when look for any abnormality of the heart, including mitral valve

disease. Mitral valve disease is a disease that could be minor or major, and is inheritable. It

affects the blood flow within the heart, and may endure surgery or may just need minor

medications. Either way, a cardiac MRI would be the most precise exam to locate mitral valve

disease.

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cardiac mri paper

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