Abstract
In addition to providing quantitative ventricular function information, gated SPECT and radionuclide angiocardiographic studies can evaluate regional wall motion and ventricular volumes. This review focuses on the combined assessment of myocardial perfusion and left ventricular function. Two clear roles for nuclear imaging in clinical practice include the diagnosis of coronary artery disease and assessment of prognosis in patients with known coronary artery disease. Ventricular function information can help differentiate an attenuation artifact from an infarct and is helpful in diagnosing 3-vessel coronary disease. Additionally, several studies have highlighted the prognostic benefit to combined assessment of myocardial perfusion and ventricular function. Several new modalities have recently been reported that promise to continue to solidify the place of nuclear imaging in the diagnosis and prognosis of coronary artery disease.
Footnotes
Received Feb. 3, 2004; revision accepted Jul. 1, 2004.
For correspondence or reprints contact: Salvador Borges-Neto, MD, Duke University Medical Center, Box 3949, Durham, NC 27710.
E-mail: borge001{at}mc.duke.edu
*NOTE: FOR CE CREDIT, YOU CAN ACCESS THIS ACTIVITY THROUGH THE SNM WEB SITE (http://www.snm.org/ce_online) THROUGH OCTOBER 2005.