Published online Oct 26, 2017. doi: 10.4330/wjc.v9.i10.773
Peer-review started: April 16, 2017
First decision: May 9, 2017
Revised: May 23, 2017
Accepted: June 12, 2017
Article in press: June 13, 2017
Published online: October 26, 2017
Processing time: 193 Days and 7.2 Hours
Core tip: Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) is a non-ionizing diagnostic technique that generates images with high spatial and temporal resolution. After administration of contrast media (e.g., gadolinium chelate), it is also possible to acquire late images, which make possible the identification and quantification of myocardial areas with scar/fibrosis (late gadolinium enhancement). In recent years, its field of application has extended to arrhythmology, both in diagnostic and prognostic evaluation of arrhythmic risk and in therapeutic decision-making. In this review, we discuss the applications of CMR for the arrhythmologist. It is possible to identify three main fields of application in this context: (1) arrhythmic and sudden cardiac death risk stratification; (2) decision making in cardiac resynchronization therapy device implantation; and (3) substrate identification for guiding ablation of complex arrhythmias.