Nuclear imaging in clinical cardiology, 1984 Developments in Cardiovascular Medicine Series, Vol. 32

In recent years methods have been developed to study cardiac function, myocardial blood flow and myocardial metabolism with radionuclides. These developments have been facilitated through the introduction of new radiopharmaceuticals, the design of special gamma cameras and dedicated computer systems. However, part of the information provided by nuclear cardiology can also be obtained through other investigations such as echocardiography, exercise electrocardiography and cardiac catheterisation with ventriculography and coronary arteriography. Thus the practising physician must select the most appropriate methodes) of investigation for each patient. Such choices should be based on proper understanding of both the value and the restrictions of each method. In this book the state-of-the-art in nuclear cardiology is reviewed, including radionuclide angiography for analysis of left and right ventricu­ lar function and for measurement of shunts and regurgitation volumes, perfusion scintigraphy and other methods for measurement of myocardial bloodflow and metabolism and computer processing of radio nuclide Images. Each chapter has been written by an expert from either Europe or the USA, who has contributed to the developments in his particular field. The principles of each method of investigation are described, as well as the precautions that should be taken in order to obtain high quality data. Guidelines are provided for the interpretation ofthe data based on studies in various centers where the methods were developed and tested.

1. Introduction to imaging of the heart: Contrast angiography, digital angiography, nuclear imaging, echocardiography.- 2. Characteristics of radiopharmaceuticals in nuclear cardiology. Implications for practical cardiac imaging.- 3. Myocardial blood flow: clinical application and recent advances.- 4. Value and limitations of myocardial scintigraphy with thallium-201 and long chain fatty acids for the detection of coronary artery disease.- 5. Myocardial imaging with radiolabeled free fatty acids.- 6. Quantitative analysis of the distribution and washout of thallium-201 in the myocardium: description of the method and its clinical applications.- 7. First-pass and equilibrium radionuclide angiocardiography for evaluating ventricular performance.- 8. The detection of intracardiac shunts and valvular regurgitation by radionuclide angiography.- 9. Review of methods for computer analysis of global and regional left ventricular function from equilibrium gated blood pool scintigrams.- 10. Probability analysis for noninvasive evaluation of patients with suspected coronary artery disease.- 11. Standards for acquisition, data analysis and interpretation of myocardial scintigraphy and blood pool scintigraphy.- Index of subjects.