title: Noninvasive assessment of coronary anatomy and myocardial perfusion: going toward an integrated imaging approach.
abstract: Many noninvasive imaging techniques are available for the evaluation of patients with known or suspected chronic coronary artery disease. Among these, computed tomography-based techniques allow the quantification of coronary atherosclerotic calcium and noninvasive imaging of coronary arteries, whereas nuclear cardiology is the most widely used noninvasive approach for the assessment of myocardial perfusion. The available single-photon emission computed tomography flow agents are characterized by a cardiac uptake proportional to myocardial blood flow. In addition, different positron emission tomography tracers may be used for the quantitative measurement of myocardial blood flow and coronary flow reserve. Extensive research is currently being performed in the development of noninvasive coronary angiography and myocardial perfusion imaging using cardiac magnetic resonance. Finally, new multimodality imaging systems have been recently developed, bringing together anatomical and functional information. This review sought to provide a description of the relative merits of noninvasive imaging techniques in the assessment of coronary anatomy and myocardial perfusion in patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine, Cardiovascular and Immunological Sciences, University Federico II, Italy.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Petretta
authors.forename: Pierluigi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Costanzo
authors.forename: Wanda
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Acampa
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Imbriaco
authors.forename: Adele
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ferro
authors.forename: Pasquale Perrone
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Filardi
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cuocolo
mesh_terms: D002114:Calcinosis / Q000473:pathology; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003326:Coronary Circulation; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology*; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed