Imaging in coronary artery disease. Cardiac magnetic resonance

Imaging in coronary artery disease should be regarded as a tool supporting patients’ management. Imaging helps physicians to diagnose patients more precisely and to treat them more effectively. There is a constant need to improve the decision-making process in patients with coronary artery disease. The growing number of cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) centres, patients undergoing CMR studies and the plethora of evidence for the use of CMR both in patients with stable coronary artery disease, as well as acute coronary syndromes, justify reviewing its capabilities. Although research applications and technical developments are of particular value for progress being made in the field of imaging, clinical applications are the most crucial for patients and treating physicians, thus they will be discussed.