[The value of nuclear cardiology procedures including nuclear magnetic resonance tomography in routine diagnosis]

Nuclear-cardiological diagnostic methods require close cooperation between cardiology and nuclear medicine groups. This review article summarizes the advantages (non-invasive, quantitative, effect of exercise) and the disadvantages (limited resolution, limited specificity, radiation exposure) of the methods. Methods used routinely in the clinic are radionuclide ventriculography and myocardial scintigraphy with Tl-201. The indications for and limitations of these methods are discussed. The important advantages of nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are the large field of view which includes extra cardiac structures, choice of slice width and orientation, good resolution and the simultaneous evaluation of morphology, functional parameters, flow phenomena and some differentiation between tissues. Presently, MRI is indicated in problem cases, e.g., aortic aneurysm, dissecting aneurysm, constrictive pericarditis, cardiac and paracardiac tumors. MRI also provides useful complementary information in valvular regurgitation, congenital malformations, cardiomyopathies and intracavitary thrombi. However, magnetic resonance imaging is still under development so that its overall value in the diagnosis of cardiac diseases cannot yet be definitely assessed.