Value of radionuclide imaging techniques in assessing cardiomyopathy

Radionuclide imaging techniques add an important dimension to the diagnosis, classification and management of myocardial disease. The gated blood pool scan provides information allowing determination of the functional type of cardiomyopathy (congestive, restrictive or hypertrophic) as well as evaluation of ventricular performance. Myocardial perfusion imaging with thallium-201 is useful in distinguishing congestive cardiomyopathy from severe coronary artery disease and also in depicting septal abnormalities in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Radionuclide techniques also prove useful in following progression of disease and in evaluating the efficacy of therapeutic interventions.