Nucl Med Mol Imaging.  2016 Sep;50(3):196-206. 10.1007/s13139-016-0433-x.

Recent Advances in Nuclear Cardiology

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Nuclear Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seongnam, Korea. wwlee@snu.ac.kr
  • 2Institute of Radiation Medicine, Medical Research Center, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.

Abstract

Nuclear cardiology is one of the major fields of nuclear medicine practice. Myocardial perfusion studies using single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) have played a crucial role in the management of coronary artery diseases. Positron emission tomography (PET) has also been considered an important tool for the assessment of myocardial viability and perfusion. However, the recent development of computed tomography (CT)/magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technologies and growing concerns about the radiation exposure of patients remain serious challenges for nuclear cardiology. In response to these challenges, remarkable achievements and improvements are currently in progress in the field of myocardial perfusion imaging regarding the applicable software and hardware. Additionally, myocardial perfusion positron emission tomography (PET) is receiving increasing attention owing to its unique capability of absolute myocardial blood flow estimation. An F-18-labeled perfusion agent for PET is under clinical trial with promising interim results. The applications of F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) and F-18 sodium fluoride (NaF) to cardiovascular diseases have revealed details on the basic pathophysiology of ischemic heart diseases. PET/MRI seems to be particularly promising for nuclear cardiology in the future. Restrictive diseases, such as cardiac sarcoidosis and amyloidosis, are effectively evaluated using a variety of nuclear imaging tools. Considering these advances, the current challenges of nuclear cardiology will become opportunities if more collaborative efforts are devoted to this exciting field of nuclear medicine.

Keyword

Cardiology; Single-photon emission computed tomography; Positron emission tomography; Computed tomography; Perfusion; Myocardial infarction

MeSH Terms

Amyloidosis
Cardiology*
Cardiovascular Diseases
Coronary Artery Disease
Humans
Myocardial Infarction
Myocardial Ischemia
Myocardial Perfusion Imaging
Nuclear Medicine
Perfusion
Positron-Emission Tomography
Radiation Exposure
Sarcoidosis
Sodium Fluoride
Tomography, Emission-Computed
Sodium Fluoride
Full Text Links
  • NMMI
Actions
Cited
CITED
export Copy
Close
Share
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
Similar articles
Copyright © 2024 by Korean Association of Medical Journal Editors. All rights reserved.     E-mail: koreamed@kamje.or.kr