Revascularization in Patients With Severe Left Ventricular Dysfunction : Is the Assessment of Viability Still Viable?

Myocardial viability assessment is typically reserved for patients with coronary artery disease and significant left ventricular dysfunction. In this setting, there is myocardial adaptation to an altered physiological state that is potentially reversible. Imaging can characterize different parameters of cardiac function; however, despite previously published appraisals of different imaging modalities, there is still uncertainty regarding the role of these tests in clinical practice. The purpose of this review is to reflect on the physiological basis of myocardial viability, discuss the imaging tests available that characterize myocardial viability, and summarize the current published reports on the use of these tests in clinical practice.