Cardiovascular diseases continue to cause significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Despite clinical advances in many areas, such as ischemic heart disease, heart failure, and arrhythmias, the precise mechanisms of pathogenesis remain incompletely understood, thereby impacting the discovery of novel therapies. Animal models have been a powerful tool in myocardial biology research. In particular, recent innovations in molecular biology and physiology techniques have led to robust models for elucidating molecular mechanisms of pathogenesis. Of critical importance is that these models closely recapitulate the characteristics of the human disease. Thus, detailed phenotypic assessments are crucial.

Advances in cardiac imaging have enabled comprehensive, non-invasive evaluations of animal models, and have provided data that are directly relevant to understanding pathogenesis in humans. This Methods Collection will explore state-of-the-art imaging techniques for cardiovascular disease, including advanced echocardiography, magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, and nuclear imaging.