Current Status of Radionuclide Imaging of Transthyretin Cardiac Amyloidosis

Cardiac single photon emission computed tomography using ^99mTc-bone avid tracers allows for an accurate noninvasive diagnosis of transthyretin (ATTR) cardiac amyloidosis, a historically underdiagnosed disease. This imaging is recommended in select populations who demonstrate clinical and imaging features of infiltrative cardiomyopathy. It is imperative to concomitantly assess for light chain (AL) cardiac amyloidosis independent of radionuclide scintigraphy for timely management of AL amyloidosis, a deadly disease requiring urgent therapy. Clinical judgement is also key and in some select scenarios an endomyocardial biopsy may be needed even after a noninvasive evaluation.