‘New World’ imaging for an ‘Old World’ disease: Use of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and 3D transesophageal echocardiography in severe rheumatic mitral valve disease

SummaryWe report a case of severe rheumatic mixed mitral valve disease in a young adult male where a combination of imaging techniques was utilized. We demonstrate that cardiac magnetic resonance imaging may be used as an alternative imaging modality in patients not suitable for the more established techniques of transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography. Additionally, the use of 3D-transesophageal imaging offered the cardiothoracic surgeon additional anatomical information at the time of mitral valve replacement