Overview of stress radionuclide myocardial perfusion imaging - UpToDate

Radionuclide myocardial perfusion imaging (rMPI) enables evaluation of cardiac perfusion and function at rest and during dynamic exercise or pharmacologic stress for the diagnosis and management of patients with known or suspected epicardial and microvascular coronary artery disease. Radionuclide MPI requires the administration of a radioactive perfusion tracer (also called a radiopharmaceutical or radioisotope), usually intravenously, and a special camera system, single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), or positron emission tomography (PET), to detect the gamma photons. It is important to note that there is no contrast agent used in rMPI. Myocardial perfusion images are usually acquired at rest and following stress, with increasing adoption of stress-only imaging, and many available combinations of one- versus two-day rest-first versus stress-first protocols, as discussed below. A specialized computer program reconstructs the acquired images into standard displays (image 1)

Radionuclide myocardial perfusion imaging (rMPI) enables evaluation of cardiac perfusion and function at rest and during dynamic exercise or pharmacologic stress for the diagnosis and management of patients with known or suspected epicardial and microvascular coronary artery disease. Radionuclide MPI requires the administration of a radioactive perfusion tracer (also called a radiopharmaceutical or radioisotope), usually intravenously, and a special camera system, single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), or positron emission tomography (PET), to detect the gamma photons. It is impor