Lydell CP, et al. - In patients receiving primary prevention ICD, researchers assessed the predictive value of left atrial function, measured using routine cine cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging, for sudden cardiac death (SCD) or appropriate ICD shock. The patients (n=203) undergoing CMR imaging before primary prevention ICD implantation and having ischemic or idiopathic non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy were examined and followed-up for a median duration of 1639 days. According to findings, left atrial emptying function was identified as a simple, powerful and independent predictor of SCD in this patient population.