Private Cardiac MRI in London

What is a cardiac MRI?

Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (cardiac MRI, or CMR) is the gold-standard scan for assessing the heart muscle. Using powerful magnets rather than X-rays, it produces highly detailed, three-dimensional images of the heart's structure, function, tissue characteristics and blood flow. It involves no ionising radiation and, in most cases, only a small contrast injection.

Cardiac MRI is uniquely able to distinguish healthy heart muscle from inflammation, scar tissue, infiltration and ischaemic damage. This makes it the test of choice for suspected myocarditis, unexplained heart failure, cardiomyopathies and the assessment of viability after a heart attack. It is also increasingly used to investigate athletes, family members of patients with inherited disease and people with abnormal ECGs that need explaining.

When is a cardiac MRI recommended?

A cardiac MRI is recommended when more detail is needed than an echocardiogram can provide, or when a particular tissue diagnosis is being considered. It is often the test that finally explains symptoms or findings that other investigations have left unresolved.

• Suspected myocarditis or pericarditis, particularly after viral illness or vaccination
• Unexplained breathlessness, chest pain or palpitations
• Confirmed or suspected cardiomyopathy, including hypertrophic and dilated forms
• Assessment of heart muscle scarring after a heart attack
• Investigation of athletes with abnormal ECGs or symptoms on exertion
• Family screening for inherited heart muscle disease
• Detailed assessment of the aorta, congenital lesions and cardiac masses

Our approach

Dr James Howard is a consultant cardiologist with a specialist academic and clinical focus on cardiac MRI. At Imperial College London he leads research into AI cardiac MRI protocols, developing software that automates image analysis and reduces scan times while improving reproducibility. He was also chief investigator of the SAMSON trial, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, which redefined how medication side effects are understood. Cardiac MRI scans at cardiologists.london are protocolled and reported with this same academic rigour.

Scans are arranged at OneWelbeck Heart Health on Welbeck Street, with NHS tertiary work continuing at Hammersmith and Charing Cross Hospitals. Each scan is tailored to the clinical question rather than performed as an off-the-shelf protocol, and the findings are explained to you in person, alongside a clear plan for what happens next.

What to expect on the day

A cardiac MRI typically takes 45 to 75 minutes depending on the protocol. You will be asked some safety questions in advance, particularly about any metal implants, pacemakers or claustrophobia, so that the scan can be tailored or alternatives arranged where needed.

• You will change into a gown and remove any metal items before entering the scanner
• ECG electrodes are placed on the chest to gate the scan to your heartbeat
• You will lie on your back inside the scanner; headphones reduce the noise
• You will be asked to hold your breath for short periods during image acquisition
• A small contrast injection is usually given through a cannula in the arm
• Images are reviewed and reported by a consultant cardiologist with subspecialty imaging expertise