Journal of Nuclear Cardiology

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BACKGROUND: Positron emission tomography (PET) is an important tool for assessing coronary artery disease (CAD), but its widespread utilization is limited due to various factors, including limited local champion availability. This study aims to compare the frequency of PET procedures and their interpreters with other common CAD assessment modalities. METHODS: Using Medicare data, we examined the number of cardiac PET procedures billed and compared them with single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA), stress magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and stress echocardiography...

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BACKGROUND: The association between aortic valve stenosis (AVS) and myocardial perfusion abnormalities has been incompletely characterized. We sought to assess the predictors of myocardial ischemia in patients with mild-to-moderate AVS, and its relationship with long-term prognosis. METHODS: Eighty-nine patients with mild-to-moderate AVS (peak velocity between 2.6-4.0 m/sec and aortic valve area >0.6 cm2 /m2 ), preserved LV function and either normal coronary arteries (28 patients) or non-obstructive coronary artery disease (<50% stenosis; 61 patients) were individuated...

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BACKGROUND: We aimed to develop a framework for generating 3D myocardial blood flow (MBF) images, computing their accuracy against clinically validated 2D polar MBF maps of the left ventricle, and evaluating their improvements in image quality over relative myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI). METHODS: N=40 patients with a wide range of defect severities and uptake dynamics were retrospectively studied. The FlowQuantTM software was used to generate reference MPI and polar MBF maps and was adapted for voxel-wise MBF mapping...

BACKGROUND: Quantitative technetium-99m-pyrophosphate cardiac single photon emission computed tomography (99m Tc-PYP SPECT/CT) is an emerging method for estimating myocardial burden of transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis (ATTR-CA), but its efficacy in monitoring longitudinal changes remains uncertain. We aimed to investigate longitudinal changes in cardiac ATTR amyloid burden following transthyretin stabilization therapy using visual and quantitative 99m Tc-PYP SPECT/CT and to relate these with changes in cardiac biomarkers and function...

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BACKGROUND: This study aimed to assess the impact of dedicated cardiac protocol (DCP) on diagnostic accuracy of state-of-the-art digital [18 F]-FDG-PET/CT in infective endocarditis (IE) and the intra-individual comparison of the performance with that of conventional whole-body approach (WBA) and to analyze the effects of the expertise level of the investigators. METHODS: 44 patients suspected for IE underwent digital-FDG-PET/CT after overnight fasting. Each three consultants and trainees reread PET images blinded to the examination approach and clinical information...

Myocardial inflammation plays a central role in the pathophysiology of various cardiac diseases. While FDG-PET is currently the primary method for molecular imaging of myocardial inflammation, its effectiveness is hindered by physiological myocardial uptake as well as its propensity for uptake by multiple disease-specific mechanisms. Novel radiotracers targeting diverse inflammatory immune cells and molecular pathways may provide unique insight through the visualization of underlying mechanisms central to the pathogenesis of inflammatory cardiac diseases, offering opportunities for increased understanding of immunocardiology...

Various non-invasive images are used in clinical practice for the diagnosis and prognostication of chronic coronary syndromes. Notably, quantitative myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) through positron emission tomography (PET) has seen significant technical advancements and a substantial increase in its use over the past two decades. This progress has generated an unprecedented wealth of clinical information, which, when properly applied, can diagnose and fine-tune the management of patients with different types of ischemic syndromes...

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AIMS: This study aimed to evaluate the predictive utility of 99m Tc-radiolabeled fibroblast activation protein inhibitor (99m Tc-HFAPi) single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging in post- acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients for assessing 12-month left ventricular (LV) remodeling. METHODS: A cohort of 58 AMI patients (46 males, median age 61 [53, 67] years) underwent baseline 99m Tc-HFAPi imaging (5 ± 2 days post-MI), perfusion imaging (6 ± 2 days post-MI), and echocardiography (2 ± 2 days post-MI)...

PURPOSE: The heart-to-mediastinum ratio (H/M-Ratio) of 123 iodo-metaiodobenzylguanidine (123 I-MIBG) represents state-of-the-art assessment for sympathetic dysfunction in patients with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC). This study aims to evaluate quantitative reconstruction of 123 I-MIBG uptake and to demonstrate its correlation with echocardiographic parameters. METHODS: Cardiac innervation was assessed in 23 patients diagnosed with definite ARVC or borderline ARVC and 12 patients with other cardiac disease presenting arrhythmia, using quantitative 123 I-MIBG Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography / Computed Tomography (SPECT/CT) imaging...