Mid-Field Cardiovascular MRI in Class III Obesity

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) is a cornerstone for assessing cardiac function and tissue characterization but is often inaccessible to patients with class III obesity because of the bore size and table weight limits of conventional 1.5-T/3-T systems. CASE SERIES: underwent clinically indicated CMR on a 0.55-T 80-cm wide-bore scanner using prototype cine, parametric mapping, phase-contrast flow, late gadolinium enhancement, and thoracic MR angiography sequences. DISCUSSION: Diagnostic image quality was achieved in all cases, enabling comprehensive evaluation of ventricular function, myocardial tissue, valvular morphology, and aortic anatomy. Findings guided diagnosis, pharmacotherapy optimization, and procedural planning. TAKE-HOME MESSAGES: Wide-bore 0.55-T CMR enables diagnostic imaging in patients with class III obesity, who are often excluded from conventional MR systems. Mid-field CMR with tailored sequences allows comprehensive cardiac evaluation in this underserved population.