Cardiovascular disease affects a large proportion of the population. Non-invasive imaging plays a large role in the management of patients with cardiovascular disease. Currently, echocardiography and nuclear SPECT techniques play a major role in the initial diagnostic evaluation of patients. However, newer imaging modalities including cardiovascular CT, MRI and PET provide unique high resolution, 3-dimensional information, and are playing an increasing role in the management of patients. In particular, cardiovascular CT provides an excellent non-invasive assessment of coronary vascular anatomy, and its role in the diagnostic evaluation of patients with risk factors for coronary artery disease is increasing. Cardiovascular MRI and PET provide excellent assessments of myocardial viability. Additionally, cardiovascular MRI can provide quantitative assessments of ventricular function and flow abnormalities as well as vascular anatomy without the use of ionizing radiation which are particular useful in the ischemic heart disease and congenital heart disease population.

The advent of these newer imaging modalities allows for exploration of several areas of research. Particular areas of cardiovascular CT interest include an expansion of its use to include assessments of left atrial and pulmonary venous anatomy prior to pulmonary vein isolation procedures for atrial fibrillation, assessment of congenital shunt lesions including atrial and ventricular septal defects, and evaluation of coronary venous anatomy for biventricular pacemaker placement. Particular areas of cardiovascular MRI interest include qualitative and quantitative assessments of ventricular and papillary muscle anatomy and function in heart failure patients with ischemic mitral regurgitation, assessment of left ventricular thrombus formation in patients with embolic events, and evaluation of right and left ventricular function and pulmonary artery anatomy in patients with congenital heart disease. Additionally, comparisons of newer imaging modalities with current standard diagnostic modalities are an area of particular interest.