Cardiol Clin. 2023 May;41(2):163-175. doi: 10.1016/j.ccl.2023.01.005. Epub 2023 Feb 21.
ABSTRACT
Stress-first approaches to myocardial perfusion imaging provide diagnostically and prognostically accurate perfusion data equivalent to a full rest-stress study while saving time in the imaging laboratory and reducing the radiation exposure to patients and laboratory staff. Unfortunately, implementing a stress-first approach in a nuclear cardiology laboratory involves significant challenges such as the need for attenuation correction, triage of patients to an appropriate protocol, real-time review of stress images, and consideration of differential reimbursement. Despite it being best practice for both the patient and the laboratory, these impediments have kept the proportions of studies performed stress-first relatively unchanged in North America and world-wide in the last 10 years.
PMID:37003674 | DOI:10.1016/j.ccl.2023.01.005