Myocardial perfusion imaging visualizes blood-flow patterns in the heart muscles. MRI, PET, and SPECT are the modalities most commonly used to perform such procedures. However, use of CT for myocardial perfusion imaging is gaining interest, and recent studies have reported that the diagnostic performance of CT perfusion (CTP) is comparable to that of SPECT or MRI [1, 2]. Not only is CT perfusion a more rapid imaging option to perform, but the combination of CTP and coronary CT angiography (CTA) can provide more diagnostic information by acquiring myocardial hemodynamic information and facilitate the evaluation of coronary artery stenosis. A dynamic CTP scan can provide myocardial blood flow information as a threshold to differentiate ischemic myocardium from normal myocardium. The accurate assessment of the hemodynamic relevance of coronary artery stenosis may enable clinicians to make better decisions relating to the need for invasive angiography and revascularization strategies.
Analysis by mdct.net Editorial Team
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