Nuclear cardiology and CVD in the developing world: Are we applying our scarce resources appropriately? Why is our mortality rate so high?
While mortality rates from cardiovascular diseases have progressively decreased in developed nations, this has not been observed to the same extent in the developing world. Nuclear Cardiology utilization remains low or non-existent for most of those living in the low-to-middle-income countries. How much of the decline in mortality observed in the developed world has to do with advanced cardiac imaging? Are we applying our scarce resources appropriately for myocardial perfusion imaging? Are myocardial revascularizations being guided by appropriate use criteria? Is more imaging necessary to reduce the mortality rates further in the developing world?
Quanta Diagnóstico & Terapia, Curitiba, Brazil. joaovitola@quantamn.com.br.|International Advisory Panel ASNC, Bethesda, MD, USA. joaovitola@quantamn.com.br.|International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, Austria. joaovitola@quantamn.com.br.
João V
JV
Vitola
D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000191:economics* / Q000401:mortality*; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019049:Developed Countries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017048:Health Care Costs; D015276:Health Care Rationing / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D018803:Models, Economic; D009026:Mortality; D055414:Myocardial Perfusion Imaging / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D015996:Survival Rate; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon / Q000191:economics*
Myocardial perfusion imaging; SPECT; coronary artery disease; cost-effectiveness