Congestive heart failure

Heart failure (HF) is the leading cause of hospitalization in individuals over the age of 65. The complexity of HF etiology and pathophysiology requires detailed patient history, examination, laboratory, and imaging workup. Transthoracic echocardiogram is a widely available first-line imaging modality in assessment of HF. Additional echocardiographic techniques, cardiac MRI, cardiac CT, and nuclear imaging have practical use in select patient populations. Heart failure imaging allows for formal assessment of left ventricular dimensions, left ventricular function, diastolic function, valvular structure, and tissue characterization that assist with diagnosis and therapy. This chapter will focus on left ventricular function imaging modalities in HF patients.