Role of Nuclear Medicine in the Evaluation of Cardiomyopathies

Abstract

Abstract Cardiomyopathies are a distinct group of diseases which are unique in their natural history causing considerable disability, mortality and increase in healthcare costs. The diagnosis is crucial in order to initiate treatment early and hopefully alter the prognosis. There are different diagnostic modalities that are available to evaluate this entity. Nuclear techniques, especially gated myocardial perfusion single photon emission computed tomography and postron emission tomography imaging, have the unique ability to offer a cost effective, easily available technique to assess ventricular function, dyssynchrony and viability on the same test, assess prognosis and give unique management options to the treating physician.