Cardiac MRI in Argentina: strengths, weaknesses, and the road ahead

Abstract

The IMAGGEN AR-CMR Registry provides a comprehensive and representative overview of
cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) utilization in Argentina. With more than 1,000 studies performed
between 2018 and 2022 across 15 centers in 9 provinces, it reflects both strengths and weaknesses
of national practice. Non-ischemic cardiomyopathy was the leading indication (55.7%), consistent
with international registries. However, stress CMR, a Class IB recommendation in clinical
practice guidelines for ischemia assessment, was performed in only 0.6% of cases, compared with
16–30% reported in international registries. Similarly, limited use (~6%) of tissue characterization
techniques (T1/T2 mapping) was observed. Beyond these differences, the registry confirms the
high diagnostic quality, excellent safety profile, and increasing adoption of macrocyclic gadolinium
agents. These findings validate the capacity of our centers while underscoring the need to
expand the use of stress CMR and advanced sequences such as T1 and T2 mapping to achieve
international standards.