A comprehensive prognostic assessment of ST-elevation myocardial infarction by cardiac MRI

Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) imaging allows comprehensive evaluation of myocardial structure, function and damage in a single examination after ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Numerous studies have shown that cardiac MRI can predict clinical outcome by determining the amount of myocardial and microvascular damage for an individual patient. Many of these cardiac MRI parameters, including infarct size, microvascular obstruction, intramyocardial hemorrhage and myocardial salvage, have proven an incremental prognostic utility in addition to established risk factors and markers of cardiac function. Consequently, cardiac MRI has emerged as a powerful tool for risk stratification after STEMI, offering prognostic information that is superior to those gained using traditional risk scores and other imaging modalities.