The Impact of Simulated Image Acquisition Time Reduction on Image Quality and Parameters of Myocardial Perfusion Imaging Using a Dedicated Cardiac Camera
Abstract
Heart disease is the second leading cause of death in Canada, highlighting the crucial role of early diagnosis in disease management. Myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI), is widely employed for this purpose, involves injecting a radiopharmaceutical into the body, imaging its distribution with a gamma camera, and revealing cardiac blood flow patterns. A significant challenge in MPI is the lengthy 8 to 10 minutes required for stress and rest imaging, potentially causing patient discomfort and compromising image quality due to movement. In a clinical study with 26 patients, post-processed data manipulation simulated a reduction in MPI imaging time. The findings indicated that MPI imaging time can be effectively shortened to 4 and 5 minutes for stress and rest imaging, respectively, maintaining clinical interpretation quality in our cohort. This promising outcome prompts further exploration of timely, comfortable MPI imaging feasibility for managing ischemic heart disease in a broader and diverse patient population.