Using heart imaging to better diagnose a specific type of heart failure

This research study is testing whether three different heart imaging techniques—cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, echocardiography (ultrasound), and nuclear medicine imaging—can better identify and diagnose a specific type of heart failure called HFpEF, where the heart's pumping strength looks normal on standard tests but the heart still isn't working as well as it should. Researchers want to understand which imaging method works best to catch this condition early and predict which patients are at higher risk. This study involves 1,000 patients across multiple hospitals in China.

HFpEF is becoming more common, especially in older adults and people with conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes, but doctors currently struggle to diagnose it early because standard tests often look normal. There is no proven treatment yet, so finding better ways to identify this condition early could help doctors treat patients sooner and improve their health outcomes.