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A new cardiac MRI at the Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute is expected to reduce wait lists, says Alberta Health Services.

The new MRI system, which is a tool for diagnosing complex heart conditions, is expected to perform more than 1,500 cardiac scans each year, supplementing the 76,600 diagnostic imaging scans performed annually in the Edmonton Zone of AHS, said a release issued today.

“With the addition of a dedicated cardiac MRI at the Mazankowski, we will be able to address the cardiac patient wait list significantly and provide faster access to important information when making treatment decisions,” Mauro Chies, vice president of diagnostic imaging, said in the release.

The system produces highly detailed diagnostic images, including three-dimensional imaging.

It is the first system of its kind in Canada, and the only one in North America used specifically for cardiac imaging.

“Cardiac MRI provides very detailed information and often replaces the need for multiple other diagnostic cardiac tests,” Dr. Richard Coulden, cardiothoracic radiologist and clinical lead of the new Elko MRI Unit at the Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute, said in the release. “This also reduces discomfort for the patient.”

The new cardiac MRI was purchased using a $2.65 million donation from the University Hospital Foundation and Edmonton philanthropists Ernie and Cathie Elko.

The Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute opened in 2008, and brings pediatric and adult cardiology together under one roof.

Source: Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute

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