Quantitative Clinical Nuclear Cardiology, Part 1: Established Applications

J Nucl Med. 2019 Nov;60(11):1507-1516. doi: 10.2967/jnumed.119.229799.

Abstract

SPECT myocardial perfusion imaging has attained widespread clinical acceptance as a standard of care for patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease. A significant contribution to this success has been the use of computer techniques to provide objective quantitative assessment in the standardization of the interpretation of these studies. Software platforms have been developed as a pipeline to provide the quantitative algorithms researched, developed and validated to be clinically useful so diagnosticians everywhere can benefit from these tools. The goal of this continuing medical education article (part 1) is to describe the many quantitative tools that are clinically established and, more importantly, how clinicians should use them routinely in interpretation, clinical management, and therapy guidance for patients with coronary artery disease.

Keywords: ischemic burden; myocardial perfusion imaging; quantitative LV function; quantitative LV perfusion; summed stress score; transient ischemic dilation.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Cardiology / methods*
  • Humans
  • Myocardial Infarction / diagnostic imaging
  • Myocardial Infarction / pathology
  • Myocardial Infarction / physiopathology
  • Myocardial Ischemia / diagnostic imaging
  • Myocardial Ischemia / pathology
  • Myocardial Ischemia / physiopathology
  • Myocardial Perfusion Imaging
  • Nuclear Medicine / methods*
  • Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / diagnostic imaging