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Myocardial Perfusion Imaging for the Evaluation of Ischemic Heart Disease in Women

  • Cardiac Nuclear Imaging (A Cuocolo and M Petretta, Section Editors)
  • Published:
Current Cardiovascular Imaging Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of the Review

To review the value of myocardial blood flow and coronary flow reserve (CFR) measurements, as assessed by positron emission tomography (PET), in women with suspected ischemic heart disease.

Recent Findings

CFR is a noninvasive measure of coronary vasomotor function that integrates the hemodynamic effects of epicardial coronary stenosis, diffuse atherosclerosis, and microvascular dysfunction on myocardial tissue perfusion and has emerged as an imaging marker of cardiovascular risk, independently of the degree of obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD).

Summary

Normal coronary arteries or nonobstructive CAD is a common finding in women with ischemia. Thus, assessment of risk based on a coronary stenosis approach may fail in women. PET is able to quantify absolute myocardial blood flow and CFR which may help to elucidate other mechanisms involved such as microvascular dysfunction and diffuse epicardial CAD, responsible for the disease in women.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are thankful to Daniel Cirigliano for the artwork.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departments of Nuclear Medicine and Cardiovascular Imaging, Diagnóstico Maipú, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Roxana Campisi

  2. Department of Nuclear Medicine, Instituto Argentino de Diagnóstico y Tratamiento S.A., Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Roxana Campisi

  3. Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Departamento de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Celular, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Fernando D. Marengo

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Correspondence to Roxana Campisi.

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Campisi, R., Marengo, F.D. Myocardial Perfusion Imaging for the Evaluation of Ischemic Heart Disease in Women. Curr Cardiovasc Imaging Rep 12, 4 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12410-019-9479-3

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