What tests will the doctor want to perform?
To diagnose congestive heart failure your physician will use one of many diagnostic tests including a chest x-ray, electrocardiogram, and echocardiogram. If you are diagnosed with congestive heart failure associated with coronary artery disease, an angiogram, ventriculogram, or cardiac MRI may be performed. The angiogram produces images of your coronary arteries while the ventriculogram shows the shape and strength of your left ventricle. A cardiac MRI shows the viability of the heart muscle and how well the ventricle is functioning.
