Contrast- Enhanced Whole-Heart Coronary MRA at 3.0T (Tesla)

Investigators at the Biomedical Imaging Research Institute (BIRI) at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center have developed a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) method for imaging coronary arteries using slow-infusion, contrast-enhanced data acquisition. This method allows faster data acquisition and better spatial resolution. Specific aims of this study are to: 1. compare coronary artery imaging with and without contrast media on both healthy subjects and patients; 2. assess the accuracy of coronary MRI in detecting coronary artery disease as compared to conventional x-ray angiography Researchers hypothesize that contrast-enhanced MRI will improve the delineation of coronary arteries over non-contrast-enhanced MRI and that optimized, contrast-enhanced coronary MRI technique will accurately detect coronary artery disease (CAD) as compared to conventional x-ray angiography.

This is a study to compare image quality between contrast and non-contrast cardiac MR and to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of a cardiac MRI procedure in a patient population that includes both healthy volunteers and a study group of patients with known CAD who are scheduled for clinical coronary angiography within one month of signing informed consent. Both groups are eligible for a combination of imaging tests. Subjects may receive either a non-contrast MRI or a contrast-enhanced MRI depending upon their kidney function and study focus. Also based upon the focus of the study at the time of the scan and to improve image quality, a beta-blocker to lessen motion artifact in patients with higher heart rates may be administered or patients may be asked to undergo a stress test for comparison.This is a one-day research procedure. Studies are acquired from the approved Institutional Review Board #25881 Cedars-Sinai Biomedical Imaging Research Registry.