Prior CT May Improve Diagnostic Confidence in Myocardial Perfusion Imaging

Many patients with matching myocardial perfusion imaging defects may have prior CT examinations that include the myocardial region of interest, such as a CT chest or CT abdomen. We correlate these perfusion defects with available prior CT examinations to determine if this will improve diagnostic confidence.

Myocardial perfusion scans were reviewed to identify cases with myocardial perfusion defects and prior CT imaging that included the myocardium. The CT was reviewed for evidence of myocardial injury that correlated with the perfusion defect.

A retrospective review of 732 myocardial perfusion scans was performed, of which 69 cases with perfusion defects were identified that also had prior CT imaging available for review. Of this subset of patients, 19 patients had findings on the CT scan compatible with ischemia or infarction in the expected region of the perfusion defect, which allowed for a more confident diagnosis.

Reviewing a prior CT scan, if available, during the interpretation of a myocardial perfusion scan, can help improve diagnostic confidence in over 25% of cases. This can lead to decreased indeterminate results and can be used to potentially avoid unhelpful further testing.