Can magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) unlock the secrets of the beating heart? This review explores the use of MRI as a noninvasive tool for evaluating the biomechanical dynamics of the heart. MRI provides spatially registered tomographic images in different cardiac cycle phases, allowing assessment of global cardiac function and regional endocardial surface motion. MRI can also provide information on motion patterns within the heart wall, enabling calculation of regional strain and related motion variables. These patterns show consistent spatial and temporal variations in normal subjects, which are altered by disease. The review shows that MRI has potential in clinical evaluation of cardiac dynamics. Although an evolving technique, MRI offers promise as a research and clinical method for assessing cardiac dynamics. The ability to obtain detailed information on heart motion and strain patterns has significant implications for understanding cardiac function and disease.
As an article in the Annual Review of Biomedical Engineering, this paper fits within the scope of reviewing advancements in biomedical engineering technologies and their applications. The focus on MRI for evaluating heart biomechanics contributes to the journal's coverage of cutting-edge imaging techniques and their impact on medical research and clinical practice. The references reflect the paper's engagement with existing literature in biomedical engineering and cardiovascular imaging.