Radiology in Arizona

Nuclear Cardiology

In the Nuclear Cardiology Laboratory, patients referred from within Mayo Clinic, as well as those from Cardiology and Internal Medicine colleagues in the community are studied. Nuclear cardiac testing is a cooperative effort between the Nuclear Cardiology Section and the Nuclear Medicine Section. A nuclear cardiologist and a nuclear medicine specialist interpret studies together, in a collaboration which assures the highest technical and interpretative quality for each patient's study. Members of both sections have subspecialty certification by the Certification Board of Nuclear Cardiology.

The range of cardiac testing in the Nuclear Cardiology Lab includes:

1. Evaluation of stable coronary artery disease
2. Evaluation of acute chest pain imaging for acute ischemic coronary syndromes (AICS),
3. Evaluation for hibernating myocardium as a cause of left ventricular dysfunction and congestive heart failure
4. Evaluation of cardiomyopathies.

These studies use myocardial perfusion imaging with gated cardiac single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) to define the extent and severity of ischemia, plus left ventricular functional parameters. Areas of ischemia and infarction are quantitated as a percentage of the left ventriclular myocardium. Radionuclide angiograms (MUGA) and SPECT gated blood pool imaging also help to define and characterize left ventricular function and are useful in assessing cardiomyopathy. Stress testing is performed with exercise, or intravenous medications including dipyridamole, adenosine or dobutamine. Thallium-201 and Technetium-99m are the isotopes used in these studies.

The Nuclear Cardiology Laboratory is an active teaching center with instruction of Internal Medicine and Family Practice resident physicians, as well as Cardiovascular Disease Fellows.