Review
Copyright ©2014 Baishideng Publishing Group Co.
World J Meta-Anal. Feb 26, 2014; 2(1): 1-16
Published online Feb 26, 2014. doi: 10.13105/wjma.v2.i1.1
Table 1 Value of different imaging modalities for cardiac resynchronization therapy
TechniquesAdvantagesLimitations
EchocardiographyWidely available; good spatial resolution; assessment of left and right ventricular volumes and function, scar burden and mitral regurgitation; no ionizing radiation; relatively low costLow reproducibility, limited by hemodynamic variations, operator experience, machine settings, available acoustic window, and angle of incidence; geometrical models may provide sources of error; complex interpretation due to too many indices; the time needed to perform extensive measurements may limit application in routine clinical practice
Cardiac computed tomographyEspecially useful to guide endocardial left ventricular lead placement; pre-procedural use to characterize venous anatomy aids in lead placement; fusion imaging modalities availableLow temporal and spatial resolution, improved by the advent of dual-source multidetector; prolonged procedure times may increase risk for periprocedural complications and radiation exposure; low availability; limited clinical experience; intermediate cost
Cardiac magnetic resonance imagingHigh spatial resolution and tissue characterization; accurate quantification of chamber size, ventricular function and 3-dimensional myocardial strain; high reproducibility with low operator dependency; no ionizing radiation; fusion imaging modalities availableLong acquisition times, potential magnetic resonance hazards of implanted cardiac devices; complex post-processing techniques; low availability; limited clinical experience; high cost
Radionuclide imagingWidely available; simplicity of interpretation; provides data on scar burden and location, left ventricular function and site of latest contraction, and mechanical dyssynchrony from a single scan; fusion imaging modalities availableNo role in identifying coronary venous anatomy; ionizing radiations; intermediate cost