Approximately two thirds of patients with heart failure have underlying coronary artery disease. In the setting of ischemic heart disease, cardiovascular magnetic resonance has demonstrated usefulness in two ways: for the detection of coronary artery disease and for the assessment of myocardial viability in consideration for revascularization. This article discusses the use of cardiovascular magnetic resonance for the detection of coronary artery disease. The purpose of this article is to provide readers with a brief overview of each of the cardiovascular magnetic resonance techniques, their relative strengths, and their relative weaknesses. Because adenosine stress cardiovascular magnetic resonance is currently the most widely used clinically, it is the primary focus of this article.