Module 11. Cardiac PET Myocardial Perfusion Imaging Including Myocardial Blood Flow Assessment in Clinical Studies-Cardiac PET Myocardial Perfusion Imaging Including Myocardial Blood Flow (Presentation)

Video Transcription

Video Summary

In this video, Krishna Patel provides a clinical overview of cardiac PET myocardial perfusion imaging, including myocardial blood flow quantitation. He explains that PET imaging utilizes positron emitting radio tracers to form an image, and there are four commonly used PET radio tracers for perfusion imaging: rubidium-82, N13 ammonia, O15 water, and F18 fluoropyridase. Patel discusses the advantages of PET over SPECT, including higher spatial resolution, attenuation correction, and higher count density, resulting in improved image quality. PET also allows for routine myocardial blood flow quantitation, which adds diagnostic value. Patel emphasizes the importance of myocardial flow measurement in differentiating between different coronary artery disease phenotypes, such as epicardial disease and microvascular dysfunction. He explains that PET markers, including relative perfusion, LVEF, myocardial flow reserve, and myocardial flow quantitation, have prognostic value in risk stratifying patients and predicting future adverse cardiovascular events. Lastly, Patel highlights the role of PET findings in guiding post-test management decisions, including the selection of patients who would benefit from revascularization.

Keywords

cardiac PET myocardial perfusion imaging

positron emission tomography

PET tracers

coronary artery disease

myocardial blood flow

calcified atherosclerosis

revascularization

SPECT

myocardial blood flow quantitation

PET imaging

positron emitting radio tracers

advantages of PET over SPECT

coronary artery disease phenotypes

PET markers

post-test management decisions