Chest MRI

Alternative names:

magnetic resonance imaging - chest; MRI of the thorax; NMR - chest; nuclear magnetic resonance - chest

Normal values:

No abnormalities of size or position of the thoracic (chest cavity) organs as viewed from any plane. No new growths or lesions. Normal organ function (of the organs where MRI can indicate function).

What abnormal results mean:

A chest MRI may reveal disorders including:

• mediastinal masses such as thymus tumor
• mediastinal and hilar lymphadenopathy (abnormal lymph nodes)
• swollen glands and enlarged lymph nodes in any location of the chest
• masses (aggregations of cells) or tumors of the chest
• lung masses
• esophageal mass (tumor)
• staging of tumors including invasion of blood vessels
• alveolar bullae (COPD)
• bronchial abnormalities
• bronchiectasis
• cystic lung lesions
• pleural abnormalities, including thickening or pleural effusion
• abnormal pulmonary vessels
• coarctation of the aorta
• aortic stenosis
• aortic dissection
• pericardial effusion
• thoracic aortic aneurysm

Note: The sensitivity of MRI depends, in part, on the experience of the radiologist. As MRI becomes more common, increasingly detailed diagnosis may be possible.

Additional conditions under which the test may be performed:

• atrial myxoma; right
• atrial septal defect
• cardiac tamponade
• ischemic cardiomyopathy
• mitral regurgitation; acute
• mitral regurgitation; chronic
• mitral valve prolapse
• pericarditis; bacterial
• pericarditis; constrictive
• pericarditis; post-MI
• pulmonary edema
• restrictive cardiomyopathy
• skin lesion of histoplasmosis
• SVC obstruction