Exercise Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging Accuracy for Cardiovascular Stress Testing

An In-state Multi-center Evaluation of Treadmill Exercise Stress Cardiac Magnetic Resonance

This study is being done to demonstrate a powerful new method for detecting heart disease that combines the proven prognostic capability of exercise stress testing with the superior image quality of Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging (CMR). The investigators hope to demonstrate that exercise CMR has equivalent or superior diagnostic accuracy compared to exercise stress SPECT for detecting obstructive artery disease.

Inclusion Criteria:

• any patient referred for stress SPECT
• known or suspected ischemic heart disease
• ability to perform adequate treadmill stress

Exclusion Criteria:

• any contraindication to MRI (e.g. ferromagnetic foreign body, cerebral aneurysm clip, pacemaker/ICD, severe claustrophobia)
• renal insufficiency (GFR < 40)
• known allergy to gadolinium-based contrast or iodinated contrast (because of the research CTA (computed tomography angiography) in patients not referred for cath after 2 weeks)