NUCLEAR MEDICINE PET SCAN CARDIOVASCULAR ASSESSMENT, PROTOCOLS, AND INTERPRETATION

Course overview

POSITRON EMISSION TOMOGRAPHY (PET) IS A PRIME EXAMPLE OF MOLECULAR IMAGING, WHICH HAS CONTRIBUTED IMMENSELY TO UNDERSTANDING CARDIAC ANATOMY AND PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OVER THE LAST TWO DECADES. SIMILAR TO OTHER MOLECULAR IMAGING, PET UTILIZES INTRINSIC TISSUE CHARACTERISTICS AS THE SOURCE OF IMAGE CONTRAST, WHICH LEADS TO A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF INTEGRATIVE BIOLOGY AND PROVIDES EARLIER DETECTION AND ACCURATE DIAGNOSIS OF DISEASE. THIS ARTICLE REVIEWS THE ROLE OF PET SCANS IN THE ASSESSMENT OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE AND ITS PROTOCOL AND INTERPRETATION BY THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM.