Abstract
Myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) using nuclear cardiology techniques has been widely applied in clinical practice because of its well-documented value in the diagnosis and prognosis of coronary artery disease. Industry has developed innovative designs for dedicated cardiac SPECT cameras that constrain the entire detector area to imaging just the heart. New software that recovers image resolution and limits image noise has also been implemented. These SPECT innovations are resulting in shortened study times or reduced radiation doses to patients, promoting easier scheduling, higher patient satisfaction, and, importantly, higher image quality. This article describes these cardiocentric SPECT software and hardware innovations, which provide a strong foundation for the continued success of myocardial perfusion SPECT.
Footnotes
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Learning Objectives: On successful completion of this activity, participants should be able to describe (1) the differences in imaging performance between new solid-state ultrafast cardiocentric imaging devices and conventional dual-detector rotating SPECT cameras, and (2) the clinical trials that confirm the diagnostic accuracy of the new ultrafast cardiocentric imaging devices.
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Financial Disclosure: The authors of this article have indicated that they received a research grant from GE Healthcare to evaluate the Discovery NM 530c SPECT system. No other relevant relationships that could be perceived as a real or apparent conflict of interest were reported.
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CME Credit: SNM is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to sponsor continuing education for physicians. SNM designates each JNM continuing education article for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit. Physicians should claim only credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
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For CE credit, participants can access this activity through the SNM Web site (http://www.snm.org/ce_online) through February 2012.
- © 2011 by Society of Nuclear Medicine