The role of cardiac MRI in the diagnosis of women's cardiovascular disease

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death of women in the United States, yet clinical studies have shown that current diagnostic strategies for assessing CVD in women are not sufficient. Given the unique challenges of imaging women combined with their atypical symptom presentation of CVD compared to men, cardiac magnetic resonance (MRI) may hold the complete spectrum of tools necessary for diagnosis of both asymptomatic and symptomatic women with CVD. The clinically available and developing cardiac magnetic resonance techniques discussed here have the potential to meet the diagnostic needs of CVD in women.