Purpose of review: The purpose of the present paper is to analytically review the diagnostic and prognostic role of CMR in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) survivors. Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is the treatment of choice in patients STEMI. However, risk of future events remains substantial. Assessment of the extent of myocardial infarction (MI), cardiac function and ventricular remodelling has become the focus of recent studies. Electrocardiography, angiography and echocardiography parameters, as well as risk scores, lack sensitivity and reproducibility in predicting future cardiovascular events. A major advantage of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) is that it provides myocardial tissue characterization.
Recent findings: CMR is able to quantify both reversible and irreversible myocardial injury and correlates with future events. This review will illustrate how microvascular function indices (myocardial salvage index, presence and amount of microvascular obstruction and intramyocardial haemorrhage) detectable by CMR add prognostic information and could impact on future strategies to improve outcomes in revascularized patients.
Keywords: Cardiac magnetic resonance; Diagnosis; Prognosis; STEMI; Tissue characterization.