Monmouth Medical Upgrades MRI Equipment To Help Fight COVID-19

LONG BRANCH, NJ – According to a recent study published in the European Heart Journal, researchers found that about half of patients hospitalized because of COVID-19 developed cardiac problems, including inflammation and heart disease, which cardiac MRI can discover.

These types of checks can now be done at Long Branch’s Monmouth Medical Center (MMC), thanks to some recent, state-of-the-art upgrades made to their MRI equipment.

“A cardiac MRI is the gold standard for assessing the structure and function of the heart,” said cardiologist Ajay Shah, MD, Director of Cardiac Rehabilitation at MMC, said in a press release.

A cardiac MRI enables doctors to assess blood flow, test the patient’s heart valves and check for the presence of inflammation. In addition, doctors can use the test to diagnose heart disease, aneurysms, and cardiomyopathy.

COVID-19 infection can lead to cardiomyopathy as well as myocarditis or inflammation of the lining of the heart. The virus can also cause scarring, weakness, and problems with the heart’s electrical system.

A cardiac MRI takes about 45 minutes to an hour, and the results are usually available the same day or within 24 hours. The test is most often covered by insurance.

“The technology has been around for a while, but it’s not available everywhere,” says Dr. Shah. “It’s a large investment.”