This open access book presents a wide portfolio of examples of positron emission tomography coupled with computer tomography (PET/CT) studies in various cardiac conditions in order to provide a rationale for the implementation of this technology in an array of clinical conditions.
Cardiovascular diseases are a major contributor to premature morbidity and mortality worldwide. Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are particularly affected by cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), with more than 75% of all CVDs deaths occurring in these countries. For this reason, target 3.4 of the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) agenda aims at a 30% reduction in premature mortality due to non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which include CVDs, by 2030.
Among CVDs, ischemic heart disease (IHD) plays an important role and, according to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), it was responsible for 15.96% of global deaths in 2017. Between 2000 and 2017, the number of IHD deaths worldwide increased by 0.26% per year.
Several imaging tools help to non-invasively diagnose, stratify risk and guide management in cardiac disease. They include nuclear cardiology techniques, using either SPECT (single photon emission computed tomography) or PET/CT. While myocardial imaging with SPECT has been fully embraced by the cardiology community and is widely available worldwide, PET/CT introduction has been slower, due not only to its higher costs, but also to the limited availability of PET/VCT scanners, mostly utilized for oncological applications.
This book is an invaluable tool for nuclear medicine physicians, cardiologists and radiologists.
About the Author: Marcelo Di Carli is a Professor of Radiology and Medicine at Harvard Medical School and the Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. An outstanding clinician-scientist, teacher and mentor, he is recognized for his pioneering work in cardiovascular radionuclide imaging and services. His research interests have focused on the study of cardiovascular pathophysiology, with an emphasis on coronary heart disease, heart failure, myocardial ischemia and cardiac function.
Maurizio Dondi is a nuclear medicine and cardiology specialist. After serving as the Director of Nuclear Medicine in Bologna, Italy, he joined the Division of Human Health of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna, a United Nations organization, where he served as Head of the Nuclear Medicine and Diagnostic Imaging Section for ten years. He is currently a consultant in the same organization. His professional activity within the UN system has been focused on the development of imaging techniques in cardiology. He has authored more than 150 papers, most of them on nuclear cardiology.
Raffaele Giubbini is a full Professor and Chair of Nuclear Medicine at the University of Brescia and Director of the Department of Diagnostic Imaging. He is a nuclear medicine and cardiology specialist and has authored more than 200 papers, most of them in the area of nuclear cardiology and PET. He has served as an international expert for the IAEA
Diana Paez Gutierrez is the Head of the Nuclear Medicine and Diagnostic Imaging Section, Division of Human Health, Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications at IAEA. She has a special interest in supporting countries improving access to healthcare, strengthening the competences of nuclear medicine and diagnostic imaging professionals worldwide and addressing disparity and diversity. Dr Paez has published over 120 book chapters and articles in scientific journals.
