Assessment of Myocardial Viability

The assessment of the distinct states of non-contractile myocardium in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and left ventricular (LV) dysfunction is clinically relevant, both prognostically and therapeutically [1, 2, 3, 4]. Such dysfunction can be improved by restoring the perfusion in presence of chronic ischemia in the case of hibernating myocardium [5], or can improve spontaneously over time after an ischemic episode in the case of stunned myocardium [6]. Improvement will not occur if scarring has replaced the myocardial tissue.