Tissue characterisation and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging

With the help of some clinical cases, the concepts underlying tissue characterisation procedures during cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) will be illustrated. The result of MRI tissue characterisation is speculative since it is based on how a given tissue behaves during various MRI sequences, including those with the use of contrast agents. In fact, biopsy is extremely uncommon when investigating the heart, due to its inherent risks and difficulties. A non-invasive, ionising radiation-free method, such as MRI, may provide significant information and guide the therapeutic strategy in several different clinical pictures.