Stress myocardial perfusion imaging by cardiac magnetic resonance provides strong prognostic value to cardiac events in patients with diabetes
Background In patients with diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease (CAD) is a major cause of mortality and results in substantial morbidity. Non-invasive detection of CAD in diabetic patients is challenged by silent ischemia and microvascular disease. Pharmacological stress CMR perfusion imaging (CMRPI) may identify evidence of flow limiting CAD at high resolution and tissue contrast. We therefore sought to test the hypothesis that stress CMRPI can provide robust prognostication to identify diabetic patients at high risk for major adverse cardiac events (MACE).