Cardiac tamponade MRI

Cardiovascular MRI is not commonly used for the diagnosis of cardiac tamponade as it is effectively diagnosed based on clinical features and echocardiography. Findings include Pericardial effusion, distension of the vena cavae and hepatic vein, collapse of the right sided cardiac chambers, interventricular septum shifts towards the left, paradoxical septal motion.

• MRI has a limited role in the setting of cardiac tamponade due to the emergent and life-threatening nature of the disease.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}
• Cardiac tamponade is characterized by the diastolic collapse the right-sided chambers and sometimes the left-sided chambers on cine images.

• Pericardial effusion
• Distension of the vena cavae and hepatic veins
• Collapse of the right sided cardiac chambers
• Interventricular septum shifts towards the left (paradoxical septal motion)

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