ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION Ischemic myocardium that is dysfunctional but viable has the potential to recover contractile function after revascularization. Therefore, noninvasive detection of viable myocardium in patients with chronic left ventricular (LV) dysfunction associated with coronary artery disease has important clinical implications for treatment.1 The discrimination between viable but dysfunctional myocardium and scar tissue permits selection of patients who are most likely to benefit significantly from revascularization procedures, allowing others to avoid the risks associated with revascularization procedures when there is no clear benefit.
