As practiced in the new millennium in the United States and Europe, most nuclear cardiology studies are performed for the assessment of myocardial perfusion using thallium 201 (Tl 201), technetium 99m (Tc 99m) sestamibi, or Tc 99m tetrofosmin. Nearly 40% of these studies use some form of pharmacologic stress. The use of equilibrium gated blood pool, the so-called MUGA scan, and first-pass imaging to assess ventricular function has decreased dramatically since nuclear cardiology was last reviewed in this series in 1993. Imaging techniques for infarct detection using Tc 99m pyrophosphate or antimyosin antibodies, innervation using I 123 metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG), and fatty acid metabolism using I 123 15-(p-iodophenyl)-3R, S-methyl pentadecanoic acid (BMIPP) are limited in numbers and performed predominately at research institutions. Given these dramatic changes in the field of nuclear cardiology, this article focuses on the following areas of myocardial perfusion imaging: radiotracer and protocol options, pharmacologic stress agents, and protocols and functional assessment with ECG-gated single photon emission CT (SPECT).<sup>4 Cerqueira M.D.   Nuclear Cardiology Boston: Blackwell Scientific Publications (1994). 

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti, 41 Taillefer R., Tamaki N.   New Radiotracers in Cardiac Imaging Stamford, CT: Appleton & Lange (1999). 

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti</sup> Nearly all myocardial perfusion imaging studies are performed using SPECT and in accordance with published guidelines for image acquisition and display.<sup>11 DePuey E. Updated imaging guidelines for nuclear cardiology procedures, Part 1 J Nucl Cardiol 2001 ;  8 : G1

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti, 37 Port S. Imaging guidelines for nuclear cardiology procedures, part 2 J Nucl Cardiol 1999 ;  6 : G49

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti</sup>