Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Cardiovascular System - Cardiac MRI

Aetna covers cardiac MRI for specified indications—chiefly thoracic aortic disease (e.g., dissection, aneurysm, Marfan), pericardial disease (e.g., constriction, effusion), intrathoracic/pleural and chest wall masses, pulmonary artery pathology, and right ventricular cardiomyopathy/dysplasia; requests for indications not listed are subject to medical review. Key requirements: MRI for cardiac function/morphology or valvular disease is covered only after echocardiogram/Doppler is inconclusive or expected nondiagnostic, MRI may replace but not be billed in addition to SPECT for the same indication, and any duplicative imaging requires documented clinical justification.

"Some studies cited are small, single-center, or pilot in nature; the policy notes that larger prospective studies are needed to confirm many CMR applications (e."

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