Based on research and clinical trials, this book details the latest research in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) tagging technology related to heart mechanics. It covers clinical applications and examines future trends, providing a guide for future uses of MRI technology for studying heart mechanics.

Cardiovascular dynamics is a field in which modelling and systems analysis have formed an extremely important discipline. For example, understanding of even such a fundamental function of the circulation as the relationship between central venous pressure apd cardiac output has required evolution of a pertinent model based on years of exhaustive ex perimental investigations by Starling, Starr, and Guyton. Hemodynamic analyses of pulsatile pressures and flows in the arteries and veins have been a continuing challenge taken up by champions of fluid dynamics such as Frank, Wetterer, Taylor, and Wormersley, just to mention a few names, and some kind of model was always proposed as a conceptual framework. An even greater challenge to cardiovascular dynamicists was how to analyze the intermittent coupling of the ventricle and the arterial or venous vasculature through the valve. The availability of numerical solutions by computer and the recently evolved ventricular model with a time-varying elastance and a pressure-dependent internal resistance opened the way to analysis of this coupling. The ever increasing speed of computers has also facilitated trips between the fre quency and the time domain, even on-line for some experimental studies. This book contains many analyses dedicated to the interactions between the heart and the vasculature, providing the reader with findings at the cutting edge of current research in this field.

Annotation In recent decades, the prevalence of heart failure has steadily increased and can be considered a contemporary cardiovascular epidemic. Therefore, treatment of heart failure is a primary focus of cardiovascular disease management strategies. Cardiac resynchronization therapy: an established pacing therapy for heart failure and mechanical dyssynchrony provides basic knowledge about congestive heart failure and also covers the evolution of cardiac resynchronization therapy. State-of-the-art information and future directions of this therapeutic tool are explained. As cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is a new therapy which still undergoes rapid advancement, it is imperative to provide updates on key issues. These include technological advances, the unique role of imaging to assess mechanical dyssynchrony, troubleshooting, recent key clinical trials, and the incorporation of monitoring capabilities into CRT or CRT plus defibrillation devices. Cardiac resynchronization therapy is an exciting new option for a growing number of heart failure patients, but CRT systems present special challenges to clinicians, even those accustomed to working with pacemakers

A substantial international reference on heart failure. This volume will address the major management issues for patients with acute and chronic heart failure and will guide professional diagnosis. Major and comprehensive reference work Addresses key management issues and guides the practice of management and prescribing Reports on the most recent trials and studies International editorship Pre-publication reviews include: ...it is timely tohave a comprehensive up-to-date review of the subject..." M.K. Davies, MA, MD, MRCP, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Birmingham, UK "...a comprehensive reference work on heart failure...would be valuable indeed and a major work of this nature produced in the next year or so...would have a large and ready audience." John Cleland, MD, Royal Postgraduate Medical School, London, UK"