Prognostic Value of Coronary Flow Capacity by Rb PET in Patients With Suspected Coronary Artery Disease and Normal Myocardial Perfusion at Semiquantitative Imaging Analysis.

Background: Coronary flow capacity (CFC) is a measure that integrates hyperemic myocardial blood flow and myocardial flow reserve to quantify the pathophysiological impact of coronary artery disease on vasodilator capacity. We assessed the prognostic value of CFC derived from Rb positron emission tomography/computed tomography in patients with suspected coronary artery disease and normal myocardial perfusion imaging.

Methods: We studied 1967 patients with suspected coronary artery disease and normal myocardial perfusion at the semiquantitative analysis of stress/rest cardiac Rb positron emission tomography/computed tomography imaging.

Cardiovascular risk factors and development of nomograms in an Italian cohort of patients with suspected coronary artery disease undergoing SPECT or PET stress myocardial perfusion imaging.

Introduction: Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and positron emission tomography (PET) are non-invasive nuclear medicine techniques that can identify areas of abnormal myocardial perfusion. We assessed the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors in patients with suspected coronary artery disease (CAD) undergoing SPECT or PET stress myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI). Based on significant risk factors associated with an abnormal MPI, we developed a nomogram for each cohort as a pretest that would be helpful in decision-making for clinicians.

Trabecular bone score assessed by dual-energy X ray absorption predicts vertebral fractures in HIV infected young adults.

Introduction: Bone mineral density (BMD) is reduced in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Trabecular bone score (TBS) is an additional feature calculated by dual-energy X ray absorption (DXA) that measures texture inhomogeneity at lumbar spine level, providing an index of bone microarchitecture. However, its clinical value still needs to be fully addressed.

Impact on cardiovascular outcome of coronary revascularization-induced changes in ischemic perfusion defect and myocardial flow reserve.

Purpose: We evaluated the impact on cardiovascular outcome of coronary revascularization-induced changes in ischemic total perfusion defect (ITPD) and myocardial flow reserve (MFR) as assessed by Rb positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) imaging.

Methods: The study included 102 patients referred to Rb PET/CT myocardial perfusion imaging before and after coronary revascularization. All patients were followed for the occurrence of cardiovascular events (cardiac death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, repeated revascularization, and heart failure) after the second imaging study.

Age-Specific Cardiovascular Risk Factors for Major Adverse Cardiac Events in Patients Undergoing Myocardial Perfusion Imaging.

Background: The prevalence of traditional cardiovascular risk factors shows different age-specific patterns. It is not known whether the prognostic impact of risk factors is similarly age-specific. We evaluated the profiles of cardiovascular risk factors and their prognostic impact on coronary artery disease (CAD) in relation to age.

Prognostic value of myocardial perfusion imaging by cadmium zinc telluride single-photon emission computed tomography in patients with suspected or known coronary artery disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Aim of this study was to define the prognostic value of stress myocardial perfusion imaging by cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) for prediction of adverse cardiovascular events in patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease (CAD).

Methods And Results: Studies published until November 2022 were identified by database search. We included studies using stress myocardial perfusion imaging by CZT-SPECT to evaluate subjects with known or suspected CAD and providing primary data of adverse cardiovascular events.

Combined evaluation of CAC score and myocardial perfusion imaging in patients at risk of cardiovascular disease: where are we and what do the data say.

Advances in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease (CVD) over the last decades have led to a marked reduction in mortality for CVD. Nevertheless, atherosclerosis leading to coronary artery disease and stroke remains one of the most common causes of death in the world. The usefulness of imaging tests in the early identification of disease led to identify subjects at major risk of poor outcomes, suggesting risk factor modification.

Prevalence of cancer therapy cardiotoxicity as assessed by imaging procedures: A scoping review.

Background: Advances in treatment and optimization of chemotherapy protocols have greatly improved survival in cancer patients. Unfortunately, treatment can cause a reduction in left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (EF) leading to cancer therapy-related cardiac dysfunction (CTRCD). We conducted a scoping review of published literature in order to identify and summarize the reported prevalence of cardiotoxicity evaluated by noninvasive imaging procedures in a wide-ranging of patients referred to cancer treatment as chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy.

Myocardial blood flow evaluation with dynamic cadmium-zinc-telluride single-photon emission computed tomography: Bright and dark sides.

Myocardial blood flow (MBF) and myocardial perfusion reserve (MPR) assessment with non-invasive techniques represent an important tool to evaluate both coronary artery disease severity and extent. Currently, cardiac positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) is the "gold standard" for the assessment of coronary function and provides accurate estimations of baseline and hyperemic MBF and MFR. Nevertheless, due to the high cost and complexity, PET-CT is not widely used in clinical practice.

External validation and update of the J-ACCESS model in an Italian cohort of patients undergoing stress myocardial perfusion imaging.

Background: Cardiovascular risk models are based on traditional risk factors and investigations such as imaging tests. External validation is important to determine reproducibility and generalizability of a prediction model. We performed an external validation of t the Japanese Assessment of Cardiac Events and Survival Study by Quantitative Gated SPECT (J-ACCESS) model, developed from a cohort of patients undergoing stress myocardial perfusion imaging.

Prediction of outcome by Rb PET/CT in patients with ischemia and nonobstructive coronary arteries.

Background: The purpose of this study was to assess the prognostic value of cardiac Rb positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) imaging in patients with myocardial ischemia of nonobstructive coronary arteries (INOCA).

Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 311 INOCA patients who underwent rest stress Rb PET/CT. Cardiac end points were cardiac death, myocardial infarction, or late coronary revascularization.

Regional myocardial perfusion imaging in predicting vessel-related outcome: interplay between the perfusion results and angiographic findings.

Background: Despite myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) by cadmium-zinc-telluride (CZT) single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) camera is largely used in the diagnosis and risk stratification of patients with suspected or known coronary artery disease (CAD), no data are available on the prognostic value of a regional MPI evaluation. We evaluated the prognostic value of regional MPI by the CZT camera in predicting clinical outcomes at the vessel level in patients with available angiographic data.

Methods And Results: Five hundred and forty-one subjects with suspected or known CAD referred to 99mTc-sestamibi gated CZT-SPECT cardiac imaging and with available angiographic data were studied.

Simultaneous assessment of myocardial perfusion and adrenergic innervation in patients with heart failure by low-dose dual-isotope CZT SPECT imaging.

Background: In patients with heart failure (HF) sequential imaging studies have demonstrated a relationship between myocardial perfusion and adrenergic innervation. We evaluated the feasibility of a simultaneous low-dose dual-isotope I/Tc-acquisition protocol using a cadmium-zinc-telluride (CZT) single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) camera.

Methods And Results: Thirty-six patients with HF underwent simultaneous low-dose I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG)/Tc-sestamibi gated CZT-SPECT cardiac imaging.

A Comparison among Different Machine Learning Pretest Approaches to Predict Stress-Induced Ischemia at PET/CT Myocardial Perfusion Imaging.

Traditional approach for predicting coronary artery disease (CAD) is based on demographic data, symptoms such as chest pain and dyspnea, and comorbidity related to cardiovascular diseases. Usually, these variables are analyzed by logistic regression to quantifying their relationship with the outcome; nevertheless, their predictive value is limited. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the value of different machine learning (ML) techniques for the evaluation of suspected CAD; having as gold standard, the presence of stress-induced ischemia by Rb positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) ML was chosen on their clinical use and on the fact that they are representative of different classes of algorithms, such as deterministic (Support vector machine and Naïve Bayes), adaptive (ADA and AdaBoost), and decision tree (Random Forest, rpart, and XGBoost).

External validation of the CRAX2MACE model in an Italian cohort of patients with suspected coronary artery disease undergoing stress myocardial perfusion imaging.

Background: Prevention and development of diagnostic and therapeutic techniques reduced morbidity and mortality for coronary artery disease (CAD). In this context, the cardiovascular risk assessment for major adverse cardiac events (MACE) at 2-year (CRAX2MACE) model for prediction of 2-year major adverse cardiac events was developed. We performed an external validation of this model.

Comparing the Prognostic Value of Stress Myocardial Perfusion Imaging by Conventional and Cadmium-Zinc Telluride Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography through a Machine Learning Approach.

We compared the prognostic value of myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) by conventional- (C-) single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and cadmium-zinc-telluride- (CZT-) SPECT in a cohort of patients with suspected or known coronary artery disease (CAD) using machine learning (ML) algorithms. A total of 453 consecutive patients underwent stress MPI by both C-SPECT and CZT-SPECT. The outcome was a composite end point of all-cause death, cardiac death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, or coronary revascularization procedures whichever occurred first.

Effect of changes in perfusion defect size during serial stress myocardial perfusion imaging on cardiovascular outcomes in patients treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention after myocardial infarction.

Background: We evaluated the prognostic value of changes in perfusion defect size (PDS) on serial MPS in patients treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) after acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

Methods: We enrolled 112 patients treated with primary PCI after AMI who underwent two stress MPS within 1 month and after 6 months. Improvement in PDS was defined as a reduction ≥5%.