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When the anomalous origin of coronary arteries (AOCA) is suspected in children (especially athletes), due to signs and symptoms of myocardial ischemia or on the basis of echocardiographic assessment, three-dimensional coronary magnetic resonance angiography (3D-CMRA) can be proposed for the fine morphological evaluation of coronary branches anatomy and course. We tested the diagnostic potential of CMRA angiography in a prospective study on AOCA in young patients. Between July 2005 and June 2008, 15 patients aged 6–29 years (mean age, 13.5 years±5.6 S.D.; median, 14) with clinical and echocardiographic suspicion of AOCA underwent CMRA (1.5 T), 3D whole-heart, free-breathing technique, without the use of contrast medium and β-blockers, with a mean examination time of 30 min. We acquired a second scan of all patients to ameliorate the quality of the acquisition and to improve our …