Researchers are examining the diagnostic utility of an exercise cardiac MRI (eCMR) in the assessment of cardiac dyspnea (shortness of breath).

Inclusion Criteria:

• Consecutive patients aged ≥18 years years with suspected cardiac dyspnea who are scheduled to undergo right heart catheterization as dictated by a comprehensive examination and echocardiography will be included for enrollment.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Age <18 years
• Pregnancy
• Mechanical ventilation
• Acute or chronic renal failure (creatinine clearance <30 ml/min or requiring renal replacement therapy)
• Inability to perform MRI (i.e. claustrophobia, severe obesity (>150 kg), device incompatible with MRI)
• Inability to exercise
• Significant arrhythmia that precludes adequate ECG-gating for the MRI (i.e. atrial fibrillation with highly variable cycle lengths)
• Prior heart or lung transplantation
• Left ventricular systolic (ejection fraction <50%) or diastolic failure (based on Framingham criteria for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction)
• Significant left-sided valvular disease (≥moderate aortic stenosis, mitral stenosis, aortic regurgitation, mitral regurgitation) or prior valve surgery