Utility of cardiac magnetic resonance for evaluation of mitral regurgitation prior to mitral valve surgery

Mitral regurgitation (MR) is a leading cause of valvular heart disease in the U.S. and globally. Nearly 20% of the U.S. population has some degree of MR, including over 4 million Americans with advanced (moderate or severe) MR (1-3). Whereas causality of MR can vary [e.g., primary valvular degeneration, secondary valvular dysfunction due to left ventricular (LV) remodeling], adverse prognosis conferred by MR is well known: population-based outcomes studies have shown MR to independently confer increased risk for heart failure, arrhythmia, and death (4-7). Poor clinical prognosis conferred by MR is proportionate to severity of valvular dysfunction (8), highlighting the importance of prompt identification and effective therapy to treat MR and reduce its serious clinical sequelae