First Magnetic Resonance Managed by a Cardiology Department in the Spanish Public Healthcare System. Experience and Difficulties of an Innovative Model

Publication date: Available online 26 March 2018 Source:Revista Española de Cardiología (English Edition) Author(s): Manuel Barreiro-Pérez, Elena Tundidor-Sanz, Ana Martín-García, Elena Díaz-Peláez, Alberto Íscar-Galán, Soraya Merchán-Gómez, María Gallego-Delgado, Javier Jiménez-Candil, Ignacio Cruz-González, Pedro L. Sánchez Magnetic resonance (MR) is considered the gold standard in the assessment of myocardial morphology, function, perfusion, and viability. However, its main limitation is its scarce availability. In 2014, we installed the first MR scanner exclusively managed by a cardiology department within the publicly-funded Spanish healthcare system with the aim of improving patient-care, training and research in the department. In the time interval analyzed, July 2014 to May 2017, 3422 cardiac MR scans were performed (32minutes used per study; 96% with good quality; 75% with contrast media administration). The most prevalent clinical indications were cardiomyopathy (29%) and ischemic heart disease (12%). Twenty-five percent of studies were conducted in the context of research protocols. Follow-up studies predominated among outpatients, while pretherapeutic assessment was more common in hospitalized patients. The presumptive diagnosis was changed by cardiac MR scanning in up to 20% of patients investigated for ischemic heart disease. The installation and operative management of an MR scanner in our cardiology department has allowed us to integ...
Source: Revista Espanola de Cardiologia - Category: Cardiology Source Type: research