Cardiac MRI

Radiology Victoria Knox provides cardiac MRI.  Cardiac MRI is used for the assessment of the myocardium (heart muscle), congenital abnormalities and assessment of flow.

To provide the most comprehensive and up-to-date cardiac imaging service, our site is equipped with a state of the art 3T Siemens Vida scanner with studies analysed using Circle CVI42.

All scans are supervised by experienced SCMR level 3 certified practitioners: Dr Kai Leong and Dr Subodh Joshi, both of whom are also multi-modality imaging cardiologists. We aim to provide a prompt service with all scans scheduled within 2 weeks.   

MRI cardiac examinations at Radiology Victoria are not covered by Medicare.  The fee is $750 for private patients.

Typical indications for cardiac MRI (CMR):

• Dilated, hypertrophic or arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy
• Cardiac sarcoidosis, amyloidosis or myocarditis
• Myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA)
• Myocardial viability assessment pre-revascularisation
• Congenital heart disease assessment

In preparation for your cardiac MRI

• There is no special preparation for a cardiac MRI
• Continue to take any medication as normal
• Do not wear jewellery on the day of your appointment

On the day of your appointment

Radiology Victoria's friendly staff will greet you on arrival and ask you to complete a MRI safety questionnaire.

Our MRI radiographer will meet you at reception, and take you through to the MRI department where you will be instructed to change into a gown and to remove all metal objects including jewellery/watches and purses/wallets. A locker will be provided for your valuables.

It is important to tell your MRI radiographer if you have any metallic devices or surgical implants.

The radiographer will escort you to the MRI room where you will be asked to lay on the examination table. ECG dots will be positioned on your chest as the MRI scans will be gated to your heart beat to ensure high quality images are acquired.  A small 'coil' will be placed on your chest and will act as the camera which acquires the pictures.

A contrast agent will be required for your cardiac scan.  This provides additional information of your heart muscle.  The contrast agent used in MRI is different to that used for CT, therefore you will not experience the warm flush normally associated with CT contrast.

You must remain as still as possible during the scan, which will take about 30-45 minutes. You will be required to hold your breath for all the pictures.  The longest scan will be approximately 15 seconds.

Throughout the procedure you will be able to communicate directly with the radiographer, who will monitor the study through a glass window from an adjacent room.

Our low-noise machines are quieter than most. You will be given headphones to minimise noise and will have the option to listen to music of your choice.

How long will the scan take?

The examination time for a cardiac MRI is approximately 30-45 minutes.

Results

After your MRI, you can dress, collect your belongings and report to reception. Your study will be available to view electronically by your doctor and you can also request access to your pictures on our RV Patient App.  The cardiologist will produce a report, sent directly to your GP or specialist. Please contact your referring doctor to discuss your results.