The impact of cardiac magnetic resonance viability assessment on the management of patients with ischaemic heart disease and left ventricular dysfunction

Background Identifying patients with ischaemic left ventricular dysfunction that would benefit from revascularisation as opposed to medical therapy alone is challenging. Viability assessment has in many centres become a gatekeeper to revascularisation, however its use remains controversial with several prospective randomised trials showing no mortality benefit with this strategy. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging in the decision making process in patients being considered for revascularisation at our institution.