Comparative features of echocardiography and cardiac MRI
| Feature | ECHO | CMR |
|---|---|---|
| Portability | +++ | − |
| Affordable price | +++ | − |
| Complexity of physics theory involved | + | +++ |
| Complexity of examination | + | +++ |
| Complexity of interpretation | ++ | +++ |
| Operator-dependence of image quality | +++ | ++ |
| Availability and access | +++ | + |
| Contraindicated in renal failure | − | ++ |
| Signal-to-noise ratio^ | + | +++ |
| Reproducibility | + | +++ |
| Patient factors effect on image quality | +++ | + |
| Versatility | +++ | +++ |
| Spatial resolution (mm) | 0.5–2 | 1–2 |
| Temporal resolution (ms) | 10–50 | 20–50 |
| Foreshortening, missing the apex of the heart* | ++ | − |
| Geometric assumptions for volume/EF measurement* | ++ | − |
| Assessment of valve stenosis | +++ | ++ |
| Assessment of valve regurgitation | ++ | +++ |
| Accuracy for detection of myocardial ischaemia# | ++ | +++ |
| Accuracy for detection of myocardial viability** | ++ | +++ |
| LV Volumes and EF | ++ | +++ |
| RV Volumes and EF | + | +++ |
| Extracardiac structures | +/− | +++ |
| Assessment of cardiac masses | ++ | +++ |
| Tissue characterisation | +/− | +++ |