Dr Siddhant N Yadav › Paediatric MRI
Paediatric cardiac MRI in Mumbai
Congenital heart imaging for children and for adults who grew up with a repaired heart — an area with very few dedicated services in this city.
Why congenital hearts need MRI
A heart that formed differently, and has often since been surgically rearranged, cannot be assessed by pattern recognition. Echocardiography remains the first test and answers a great deal, but in older children and adults the windows narrow, and scar tissue from previous surgery gets in the way.
Cardiac MRI does not depend on an acoustic window. It gives the whole anatomy in any plane, measures the volume of both ventricles accurately — including the right ventricle, which echo estimates poorly — and quantifies flow directly. It does all this without radiation, which matters enormously in a patient who will need imaging repeatedly across a lifetime.
Common reasons for referral
- Repaired tetralogy of Fallot — measuring pulmonary regurgitation and right ventricular volume, which together decide the timing of pulmonary valve replacement
- Fontan circulation — assessing the pathway, ventricular function and collateral flow
- Coarctation of the aorta, before or after repair
- Shunts — quantifying the pulmonary to systemic flow ratio, which guides whether closure is warranted
- Transposition after arterial switch or atrial switch
- Anomalous coronary arteries and vascular rings
- Cardiomyopathy or suspected myocarditis in a child
- Where echo windows are poor or the anatomy is unclear
Children and the scanner
The practical difficulty with children is stillness, not safety. Approach depends on age:
- Babies are often scanned during natural sleep after a feed
- Toddlers and young children may need sedation or general anaesthesia, arranged with a paediatric anaesthetist
- School-age children can often manage awake with preparation, practice at breath-holding, and a film to watch
- Teenagers and adults are scanned as adults
A visit to see the scanner beforehand genuinely helps. Much of the fear is the noise and the tunnel, and both are less frightening once seen.
Adults with congenital heart disease
More people now reach adulthood with congenital heart disease than are born with it each year. They need imaging for the rest of their lives, and they frequently fall through the gap between paediatric cardiology and adult services.
Building a proper paediatric and congenital cardiac MRI and CT service in Mumbai is an explicit aim of this practice. Dr Yadav completed a fellowship in paediatric and adult congenital heart disease cardiac CT and MRI at Boston Children's Hospital in 2026, reporting over 150 cardiac MRIs and 50 cardiac CTs across the range of congenital diagnoses.
This page is general information about a treatment or test. It is not medical advice for your situation, and it cannot replace an examination and a conversation with a doctor who knows your history.
Common questions
Will my child need anaesthesia?
It depends on age. Babies are often scanned asleep after a feed. Toddlers and young children usually need sedation or anaesthesia to stay still. Most school-age children manage awake with preparation.
Is there radiation?
No. MRI uses a magnetic field and radio waves. That is a major reason it is preferred in children and in congenital patients, who need repeated imaging over a lifetime.
My child had heart surgery years ago and seems well — why an MRI now?
Because some changes progress silently. A leaking pulmonary valve after tetralogy repair, for example, enlarges the right ventricle for years before symptoms appear, and the best time to act is before that becomes irreversible. MRI measures it accurately.
Are the metal clips or stents from surgery a problem?
Most modern surgical materials are MRI-safe. Bring your operation records so the team knows exactly what was implanted and when. Sternal wires and most clips are not an obstacle.
Can adults with congenital heart disease be seen here?
Yes. Adults who grew up with a repaired or unrepaired congenital heart condition are a specific focus of this practice, both for imaging and for ongoing cardiology follow-up.
Book an appointment
Nanak Heart Clinic, Raja Cottage, Sahar Road, Koldongri, opposite ICICI Bank, Andheri East, Mumbai 400069. Monday to Saturday, 7–9 pm.