Nitrogen-13 ammonia perfusion imaging

  • Menco G. Niemeyer
  • Aaf F. M. Kuijper
  • Eduard G. M. D’Haene
  • Ernst E. van der Wall
Chapter
Part of the Developments in Cardiovascular Medicine book series (DICM, volume 133)

Abstract

Positron emission tomography (PET) provides an advanced imaging technology that permits the accurate definition of regional tracer distribution. In combination with nitrogen-13 (N-13) ammonia, PET allows for the sensitive and specific detection of coronary artery disease. Several studies indicate the superiority of this approach in comparison to standard thallium-201 (Tl-201) tomographic (SPECT) imaging. In addition, regional blood flow can be accurately measured using N-13 ammonia PET, and this approach can be employed in conjunction with pharmacologic stress imaging to quantify regional flow reserve. In combination with metabolic markers, N-13 ammonia is capable of assessing myocardial viability. Furthermore, the N-13 ammonia PET approach may differentiate between various forms of cardiomyopathy. More studies are needed to define the cost-benefit ratio of the N-13 ammonia PET technique for the management of patients with coronary artery disease or cardiomyopathy.

Keywords

Positron Emission Tomography Positron Emission Tomography Imaging Myocardial Blood Flow Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Myocardial Viability 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
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Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 1992

Authors and Affiliations

  • Menco G. Niemeyer
  • Aaf F. M. Kuijper
  • Eduard G. M. D’Haene
  • Ernst E. van der Wall

There are no affiliations available

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