Efficient method for selecting cardiac magnetic resonance image locations.

Selecting locations for long- and short-axis cardiac magnetic resonance images (MRIs) conventionally requires two preliminary image sets, one to find the plane of the left ventricular (LV) axis and a second to find the axis within that plane. By specifying the LV axis from landmarks on the initial image set, it is possible to go directly to short-axis images without the second set of preliminary images, thus improving efficiency and shortening the duration of the examination.