Surreal illustration of a heart with clockwork, representing synchronicity and heart health assessment.

Decoding Heart Health: Can New Scans Predict Cardiac Risks in Dilated Cardiomyopathy Patients?

Avery Sinclair in Health & Wellness December 2025 • 4 min read.

"Innovative research reveals how analyzing heart function through SPECT MPI scans could revolutionize the prediction and management of heart failure."

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), a condition where the heart's ability to pump blood effectively is compromised, poses significant challenges in healthcare. Predicting which patients are most at risk and tailoring treatments accordingly is critical. Traditionally, factors like age, overall physical condition, and the heart's ejection fraction have been considered. However, recent studies suggest that assessing the heart's synchronicity—how well its different parts contract and relax together—may offer deeper insights.

Heart specialists are focusing on cardiac dyssynchrony, where the heart's chambers do not beat in a coordinated manner. Both systolic dyssynchrony (when the heart contracts) and diastolic dyssynchrony (when it relaxes) can impact cardiac performance. While systolic dyssynchrony is a known risk factor, the role of diastolic dyssynchrony is less understood. New research aims to clarify how both types of dyssynchrony affect patient outcomes in DCM.

By using advanced imaging techniques like gated SPECT MPI (Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography Myocardial Perfusion Imaging), doctors can now measure the heart's mechanical function with greater precision. This non-invasive approach allows for detailed analysis of both systolic and diastolic phases, potentially unlocking new ways to predict and manage heart failure.

How Do SPECT MPI Scans Measure Heart Function?

Surreal illustration of a heart with clockwork, representing synchronicity and heart health assessment.

The study involved 52 patients diagnosed with DCM, who were followed over several years to track cardiac-related deaths. Using SPECT MPI, doctors analyzed the heart's function during both contraction (systole) and relaxation (diastole). The scans provided key measurements of dyssynchrony, including:

These metrics help paint a detailed picture of how efficiently the heart is working and whether there are any timing issues in its contractions and relaxations. The research team then correlated these measurements with patient outcomes to determine which factors were most predictive of cardiac events.

Phase Standard Deviation (PSD): Measures the degree of variation in the timing of heart muscle contractions.
Phase Histogram Bandwidth (PBW): Indicates the range of time over which the heart muscle contracts.
Phase Entropy (PE): Quantifies the overall disorder in the timing of the heart's activity.

The results showed that patients who experienced cardiac death had more severe systolic and diastolic dyssynchrony compared to those who survived. Specifically, higher PSD, PBW, and PE values were associated with poorer outcomes. Further analysis revealed that phase entropy during both systole and diastole were independent predictors of cardiac death, highlighting their importance in assessing risk.

What's Next for Heart Health?

This research underscores the potential of SPECT MPI scans to provide critical insights into heart function and predict adverse events in DCM patients. By identifying diastolic phase entropy as a key predictor, the study opens new avenues for early intervention and personalized treatment strategies. As technology advances, these sophisticated imaging techniques promise to play an increasingly vital role in the fight against heart failure, offering hope for improved outcomes and enhanced quality of life.

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Everything You Need To Know

What exactly is dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM)?

Dilated cardiomyopathy, or DCM, is a condition where the heart's ability to effectively pump blood is compromised. This means the heart muscle becomes enlarged and weakened, affecting its ability to circulate blood properly throughout the body. It's significant because it can lead to heart failure if not properly managed, impacting a person's overall health and longevity. Understanding DCM is the first step in predicting and preventing further heart complications.

How do SPECT MPI scans work to assess heart function?

SPECT MPI, or Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography Myocardial Perfusion Imaging, is an advanced imaging technique used to measure the heart's mechanical function with greater precision. During a SPECT MPI scan, doctors can analyze how the heart functions during both contraction (systole) and relaxation (diastole). This non-invasive approach provides detailed measurements of dyssynchrony, identifying how efficiently the heart is working and any timing issues in its contractions and relaxations.

What does cardiac dyssynchrony mean, and why is it important?

Cardiac dyssynchrony refers to the condition where the different chambers of the heart do not beat in a coordinated manner. This lack of coordination can occur during systole (contraction) or diastole (relaxation) of the heart. Systolic dyssynchrony is a known risk factor, but diastolic dyssynchrony's role is less understood. Identifying and understanding both types of dyssynchrony is important because they impact cardiac performance and can lead to adverse patient outcomes in those with DCM.

What is phase entropy, and why is it significant in predicting heart issues?

Phase entropy quantifies the overall disorder in the timing of the heart's activity. It measures the complexity and irregularity of the heart's contractions and relaxations. Higher phase entropy values during both systole and diastole indicate greater dyssynchrony, which is associated with poorer outcomes and increased risk of cardiac events, particularly in patients with DCM. Therefore, it acts as a predictor of cardiac death.

What are Phase Standard Deviation, Phase Histogram Bandwidth, and Phase Entropy, and how are they measured?

Phase Standard Deviation (PSD) measures the degree of variation in the timing of heart muscle contractions. Phase Histogram Bandwidth (PBW) indicates the range of time over which the heart muscle contracts. Phase Entropy (PE) quantifies the overall disorder in the timing of the heart’s activity. All of these measurements are captured using SPECT MPI scans. Higher values in PSD, PBW, and PE are associated with more severe systolic and diastolic dyssynchrony, and, consequently, poorer patient outcomes. These metrics help create a detailed picture of how efficiently the heart is working, and highlight the importance of timing in contractions and relaxations.