Glossary of Terms
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A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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| Mitral Valve | The heart valve between the left atrium and left ventricle. It has two flaps or cusps. |
| Mitral Valve Insufficiency | An incomplete closing of the mitral valve resulting in leakage of blood from the left ventricle to the left atrium. Mitral valve insufficiency can also be caused by a congenital heart defect. |
| MRA | MRA, or magnetic resonance angiogram, is an MRI performed with contrast injected through a peripheral IV (usually in the arm). This is particularly useful when imaging the pulmonary arteries and the arota. |
| MRI | MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, uses large magnets that accentuate the difference in tissue characteristics to produce images. Cardiac MRI is particularly useful in patients with limited windows for an echocardiogram, those with single ventricle physiology, with pulmonary insufficiency after tetralogy of fallot, and aortic arch pathology. There is no radiation associated with an MRI, and the exam usually takes about an hour. |
| Murmur | Noise made by blood flow, which may or may not be abnormal. |
| Myocarditis | Inflamation or infection of the myocardium, the heart muscle. |