Non-invasive Imaging in Women With Heart Failure - Diagnosis and Insights Into Disease Mechanisms

Purpose of review: To summarise the role of different imaging techniques for diagnosis and investigation of heart failure in women.

Recent findings: Although sex differences in heart failure are well recognised, and the scope of imaging techniques is expanding, there are currently no specific guidelines for imaging of heart failure in women. Diagnosis and stratification of heart failure is generally performed first line using transthoracic echocardiography. Understanding the aetiology of heart failure is central to ongoing management, and with non-ischaemic causes more common in women, a multimodality approach is generally required using advanced imaging techniques including cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging, nuclear imaging techniques, and cardiac computed tomography. There are specific considerations for imaging in women including radiation risks and challenges during pregnancy, highlighting the clear unmet need for cardiology and imaging societies to provide imaging guidelines specifically for women with heart failure.