Journal of nuclear cardiology : official publication of the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology
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Incremental prognostic value of the hemodynamic gain index in patients undergoing exercise stress myocardial perfusion imaging

Jul 18, 2026

The authors aimed to determine whether the hemodynamic gain index (HGI) could provide additional prognostic information for patients undergoing exercise stress myocardial perfusion imaging (SPECT-MPI) beyond traditional measures. Their findings indicate that HGI is independently associated with a lower risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and improves risk stratification, particularly in patients with low stress total perfusion deficit. This suggests that incorporating HGI into clinical assessments may enhance long-term prognostic accuracy for these patients.

Transient Ischemic Dilation with ¹⁸F-flurpiridaz PET: Establishing Thresholds for a Novel Radiotracer

Jul 11, 2026

The authors aimed to establish normal thresholds for transient ischemic dilation (TID) using the novel radiotracer ¹⁸F-flurpiridaz in patients with suspected coronary artery disease (CAD). Through a secondary analysis of the Flurpiridaz-301 trial, they determined stress-specific TID reference thresholds and found that these values varied by stress modality and were influenced by post-reconstruction filtering. The study underscores the need for tracer- and protocol-specific standards for accurate clinical interpretation of TID in nuclear cardiology.

Clinical Application and Research Advances of PET Molecular Imaging in Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor-Associated Myocarditis

Jul 3, 2026

The authors investigate the potential of positron emission tomography (PET) molecular imaging as a non-invasive diagnostic tool for immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)-associated myocarditis, a serious complication of cancer immunotherapy. They highlight the challenges of early diagnosis due to the disease's heterogeneous presentation and discuss recent advancements in imaging technologies that could enhance the detection and monitoring of this condition. The article aims to inform clinical practice and future research on the application of PET in managing ICI-associated myocarditis.

Immuno-PET in Cardiovascular Disease: Advances, Challenges, and Opportunities

Jul 2, 2026

This review explores the potential of immuno-PET as a novel imaging technique for noninvasively characterizing immune-associated biological processes in cardiovascular diseases, addressing the limitations of conventional imaging methods. The authors discuss various emerging immuno-PET targets and highlight critical technical considerations that could enhance the specificity and effectiveness of this approach in precision imaging. Ultimately, the paper aims to identify how advancements in antibody engineering and related technologies can improve the application of immuno-PET in cardiovascular research and clinical practice.

Normal Values for ¹³N-Ammonia PET-derived Metrics in Heart Transplant Patients

Jun 30, 2026

The authors aimed to establish normal reference values for myocardial blood flow (MBF), myocardial blood flow reserve (MBFR), and left ventricular parameters in heart transplant (HT) recipients using ¹³N-ammonia PET imaging. By evaluating 266 HT recipients and comparing results from two software programs, they found that while there was a strong relationship between metrics, the agreement was moderate to good, highlighting the importance of software-specific thresholds for assessing cardiac health in transplant patients.

PROGNOSTIC IMPACT OF MYOCARDIAL FLOW RESERVE ASSESSED BY CZT-SPECT

Jun 9, 2026

The authors aimed to evaluate the prognostic impact of myocardial flow reserve (MFR) assessed by cadmium-zinc-telluride (CZT) single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) in patients with and without obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD). They found that an MFR <2 was significantly associated with an increased risk of adverse cardiovascular events, including death, and demonstrated improved predictive performance when incorporated into risk assessments. This suggests that routine MFR assessment could enhance risk stratification and management of chronic coronary syndromes.

Radiation dosimetry of ¹⁵O-water based on dynamic large axial field of view PET

Jun 9, 2026

The authors aimed to provide more accurate estimates of radiation dosimetry for ¹⁵O-water using dynamic large axial field of view (LAFOV) PET scanning, as previous estimates were based on limited data. Their findings revealed a sex-averaged effective dose coefficient of 0.62 μSv/MBq, leading to a significantly lower effective dose of approximately 0.25 mSv for typical cardiac scans, compared to earlier estimates. This suggests that LAFOV PET can enhance dosimetry accuracy for this radiotracer.

Right Ventricular Metabolic Adaptation to Afterload and Heterogeneous RV-Pulmonary Arterial Coupling in Pre-Capillary Pulmonary Hypertension: An FDG-PET/CMR Study

Jun 4, 2026

The authors aimed to investigate the relationship between right ventricular (RV) metabolic activity, pulmonary vascular load, and RV-pulmonary arterial (RV-PA) coupling in patients with pre-capillary pulmonary hypertension (PH). They found that increased pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) is associated with enhanced RV glucose metabolism and impaired RV-PA coupling, suggesting that these metabolic changes may indicate early maladaptive adaptation to increased afterload before significant structural remodeling occurs. The study highlights the utility of integrated FDG-PET and CMR imaging in understanding RV adaptation mechanisms in PH.