Cardiac MRIs to be offered at Mater Dei

Starting this month, patients requiring cardiac MRIs will no longer have to travel overseas as Mater Dei hospital will be introducing the service locally, parliamentary secretary for health Chris Fearne said today.

Patients would have to travel to Monza, Italy for the imaging procedure in the past. The technique offers a clear, accurate image of the heart and its muscular structure, much better than other imaging techniques such as ultrasound. The results can give physicians information on cardiac diseases, as well as determining whether a patient is at high risk for a heart attack, without the need for a biopsy. 

Today is also World Heart Day, an international day of awareness of heart health and illness. One of the major contributors to cardiac concerns is lifestyle and the ongoing National Food Consumption Survey aims to shed light on the Maltese population's eating habits and how they can be changed for the better.