Improving the accuracy of cardiac MRI stress tests for the diagnosis of heart failure

Diagnostic accuracy of adenosine versus dobutamine stress perfusion cardiovascular magnetic resonance to detect severe coronary artery disease in patients with reduced ejection fraction

Heart failure is a condition where the heart cannot pump blood effectively. It makes people feel tired, breathless and develop swollen limbs and people with heart failure have a high risk of disability and death. There are several different conditions that can cause heart failure and it is important to identify the cause so that people can be given people the most effective treatment. One of the best tests to find the cause of heart failure is a cardiac MRI stress test, which is a scan that thoroughly looks at how the heart is working. During a cardiac MRI stress test, for a short time the heart is made to work a little harder by injecting a medication. There are different medicines that may be used to ‘stress’ patients’ hearts. But in patients with heart failure, it is unclear which of these medicines is most effective to diagnose coronary artery disease – a narrowing or blockage of the blood vessels supplying the heart. In this study, Professor McCann and his team will compare how accurately coronary artery disease can be detected using two cardiac stress test medicines – adenosine and dobutamine – in people with heart failure. This may help prevent inaccurate diagnoses in the future, ensuring people with heart failure get the right treatment straight away.