Integrated approach to ischemic heart disease. The one-stop shop.

Magnetic resonance imaging is unique in its variety of applications for imaging the cardiovascular system. A thorough assessment of myocardial structure, function, and perfusion; assessment of coronary artery anatomy and flow; and spectroscopic evaluation of cardiac energetics can be readily performed by magnetic resonance imaging. One key to the advancement of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging as a clinical tool in the evaluation, the so called one stop shop. Improvements in magnetic resonance hardware, software, and imaging speed now permit this integrated examination. Cardiac magnetic resonance is a powerful technique with the potential to replace or complement other commonly used techniques in the diagnostic armamentarium of physicians caring for patients with ischemic heart disease.