Myocardial ischemia and clinical applications of positron emission tomography

Positron emission tomography (PET) uniquely permits the noninvasive study and quantification of regional rates of blood flow and metabolism in human myocardium. In myocardial ischemia, PET identifies the presence and extent of viability in dysfunctional myocardium and distinguishes it from irreversible ischemic injury and scar tissue formation. Because metabolic markers have proved more accurate and reliable for identifying viability than conventional diagnostic approaches, PET has become increasingly useful for characterizing the severity and extent of an ischemic injury and for assigning patients with acute or chronic coronary artery disease to the most efficacious treatment.