Nuclear imaging in clinical cardiology [antikvár]

Introduction In recent years methods have been developed to study cardiac function, myocardial blood flow and myocardial metabohsm with radionuclides. These developments have been facilitated through the introduction of new radiopharmaceuticals, the design of special gamma cameras and dedicated computer systems. However, part of the information provided by nuclear cardiology can also be obtained through other investigations such as echocardiography, exercise electrocardiography and cardiac catheterisation with ventriculography and coronary arteriography. Thus the practising physician must select the most appropriate method(s) of investigation for each patient. Such choices should be based on proper understanding of both the value and the restrictions of each method. In this book the state-of-the-art in nuclear cardiology is reviewed, including radionuclide angiography for analysis of left and right ventricular function and for measurement of shunts and regurgitation volumes, perfusion scintigraphy and other methods for measurement of myocardial bloodflow and metabolism and computer processing of radionucHde images. Each chapter has been written by an expert from either Europe or the USA, who has contributed to the developments in his particular field. The principles of each method of investigation are described, as well as the precautions that should be taken in order to obtain high quahty data. Guidelines are provided for the interpretation of the data based on studies in various centers where the methods were developed and tested. We hope that this book will help the clinical cardiologist or internist to understand the value and the limitations of nuclear cardiology for diagnosis and functional evaluation of patients with heart disease. M.L. Simoons J.H.C. Reiber