Assessment of myocardial viability and left ventricular function in patients supported by a left ventricular assist device.

Abstract

Chronically supported left ventricular assist device (LVAD) patients may be candidates for novel therapies aimed at promoting reverse remodeling and myocardial recovery. However, the effect of hemodynamic unloading with a LVAD on myocardial viability and LV function in chronically supported LVAD patients has not been fully characterized. We aimed to develop a non-invasive imaging protocol to serially quantify native cardiac structure, function, and myocardial viability while at reduced LVAD support.