Purpose: To evaluate the feasibility of low-dose dobutamine stress MRI (DSMR) and comparative diagnostic values of low-dose DSMR and delayed contrast-enhanced MRI (DE-MRI) for predicting functional recovery in patients with dysfunctional myocardium at rest. Materials and Methods: 52 patients underwent cine MR imaging at rest and low-dose DSMR from January 2004 to December 2004. In 18 patients with dysfunctional myocardium, wall motion was evaluated semiquantitatively by MRI before and 3 months after revascularization. All patients underwent steady-state cine MRI covering the entire left ventricle at rest and during low-dose DSMR (10µg/kg/min). DE-MRI was acquired to determine transmural extent of hyperenhancement. Follow-up cine MR images in the resting state were obtained 3 months after revascularization. On stress studies, myocardial segment was classified as reversible when systolic wall thickening was improved by >20% with dobutamine stress. On DE-MRI, myocardial segment was defined as reversible when the transmural extent of hyperenhancement was assessed by 0-50%. Results: On the first cine MR images in the resting state, 142 (49.3%) of 288 segments demonstrated abnormal, regional contraction (systolic wall thickening <40%). Of the 70 segments showing functional recovery on the following cine MRI, 62 (89%) segments were recognized as reversible by low-dose DSMR and 59 (82%) segments by DE-MRI. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of low-dose DSMR was 89%, 92%, 91%, and 89%, respectively. These values of De-MRI were 82%, 63%, 69%, and 80%, respectively. Conclusion: Low-dose dobutamine stress MRI can provide more accurate assessments for predicting regional functional recovery in comparison with delayed contrast-enhanced MRI in patients with ischemic heart disease who underwent revascularization.