The aim of this study was to explore the clinical possibilities of a new strategy for magnetic resonance imaging of the coronary arteries. Thirteen patients were studied by volume coronary angiography using targeted scans (VCATS) to visualize the major coronary arteries in a series of breath-holds. The proximal coronary arteries were clearly seen in 92% and the mid segments in 50-70% of the patients. VCATS was able to visualize a total vessel length of the left main (LM) (mean: 9.4+/-3.4 mm), of the left anterior descending (LAD) 69+/-20 mm, of the right coronary artery (RCA) 90+/-33 mm and of the left circumflex (LCX) 41+/-18 mm. There was a reasonable correlation between the VCATS and conventional coronary angiography (CAG) for vessel diameter (r = 0.71), with a slight overestimation of 0.7 mm by VCATS. There were nine significant stenoses present of which six were correctly detected, three were missed and one false positive was present. VCATS is fast strategy for visualizing the major coronary artery branches and has the potential to detect significant stenoses in these branches.