The additional clinical value of gated SPECT myocardial perfusion imaging

EGG-gated single photon emission computed tomography (gated SPECT) allows analysis of left ventricular (LV) perfusion and function during the same acquisition. The functional information can aid the distinction between artefact and partial fixed defects and this improves specificity for the detection of coronary artery disease (CAD). It also reduces the number of equivocal reports. The information provided on LV ejection fraction (EF) and volumes, provides important prognostic information, and thus it adds value to ungated imaging when assessing prognosis. Preserved myocardial thickening suggests the presence of viable myocardium and this agrees will with other techniques for assessing viability, such as thallium-201 SPECT and 2-fluoro-deoxy-glucose (FDG) imaging using positron emission tomography (PET). The value of the technique means that it will be used increasingly, particularly as acquisition software and automated analysis allow it to be used routinely.