Medical imaging in heart disease: validation of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging through anatomical and pathological studies

A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan can reveal the nature of heart muscle damage in
patients who have suffered a heart attack. For example, recent research suggests that MRI can
reveal whether bleeding has occurred within the injured heart. This research aims to validate new
MRI imaging methods by comparing scans of human hearts from cadavers, to the pathology seen
after dissecting the hearts and viewing them microscopically. By determining the accuracy of MRI,
this research may lead to new and more accurate clinical techniques being established to detect
heart damage, thereby improving patient treatment.