Background--We hypothesized that (1) a significant proportion of ischemic dysfunctional segments that do not improve function will demonstrate postrevascularization contractile reserve and (2) electromechanical mapping (EMM) can identify segments that improve function as well as those with postrevascularization contractile reserve, a potential indicator of delayed functional improvement.

Methods and Results--Eighteen patients with severe ischemic left ventricular dysfunction underwent EMM and dobutamine (D) cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) followed by revascularization. Four months after revascularization, all patients underwent a repeated D-CMR, and at 35 months, a subgroup (n=6) underwent a third CMR. Of 120 dysfunctional segments, 60 segments had improved rest function (IRF) and 60 did not. Twenty-eight of 60 segments (47%) that did not improve RF demonstrated postrevascularization contractile reserve (CR), and 32 of 60 segments (53%) that demonstrated neither IRF nor CR were persistently dysfunctional (PD). CR segments recovered significantly greater late function compared with IRF or PD: 14±12% vs 2±5% and 4±7%, respectively; P<0.05. EMM ratio, defined as the unipolar voltage divided by linear shortening, was significantly higher in IRF segments compared with segments that did not improve RF: 2.4±4.5 vs 0.7±3.5, P<0.05. Unipolar voltage was stepwise lower in normal, IRF, CR, and PD segments (10.5±4.7, 9.3±3.9, 8.8±3.2, and 7.4±2.3 mV, respectively; P<0.01 for trend).

Conclusions--Almost half of dysfunctional myocardial segments in chronic ischemic heart disease that do not improve RF early after revascularization demonstrate early CR and delayed functional recovery. EMM parameters can identify segments that improve RF and retain CR early after revascularization.