Prediction of appropriate ICD-therapy using infarct heterogeneity from CMR in patients with coronary artery disease

Background The heterogeneous peri-infarction zone surrounding the core infarct with cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) has been linked to all-cause mortality in patients with coronary artery disease. Previously, the heterogeneity of fibrotic areas has been analyzed by threshold algorithms. We hypothesized that the heterogeneous peri-infarction zone is related to appropriate ICD-therapy in ischemic cardiomyopathy patients. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate if 1) infarct heterogeneity can predict appropriate ICD-therapy and 2) evaluate which analysis method best depicts and quantifies the periinfarction zone.