[Contribution of magnetic resonance imaging to the diagnosis of aortic coarctations].

The authors present a case of coarctation of the aorta in a 28-year old male patient explored by magnetic resonance imaging. The exploration was carried out with an 0.5 Tesla magnet machine, using 2-echo spin-echo sequences synchronized with electrocardiography. Contiguous axial, frontal and oblique 10 mm thick sections were performed. In this particular case the images were of much better quality than with other exploratory methods, notably digital angiography. Not only the coarctation, but also two large aneurysms of the intercostal arteries were visualized. It is important to obtain this kind of information prior to surgery in view of the higher risk of haemorrhage. Magnetic resonance imaging could already be used as first-line exploration in some cases of congenital vascular pathology. However, its use is for the moment limited, in particular by the fact that it does not provide information on cardiac valve functioning.