Cardiac PET: metabolic and functional imaging of the myocardium.

Cardiac PET has evolved over the past 30 years to gain wider acceptance as a valuable modality for a variety of cardiac conditions. Wider availability of scanners as well as changes in reimbursement policies in more recent years has further increased its use. Moreover, with the emergence of novel radionuclides as well as further advances in scanner technology, the use of cardiac PET can be expected to increase further in both clinical practice and the research arena. PET has demonstrated superior diagnostic accuracy for the diagnosis of coronary artery disease in comparison with single-photon emission tomography while it provides robust prognostic value. The addition of absolute flow quantification increases sensitivity for 3-vessel disease as well as providing incremental functional and prognostic information. Metabolic imaging using (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose can be used to guide revascularization in the setting of heart failure and also to detect active inflammation in conditions such as cardiac sarcoidosis and within atherosclerotic plaque, improving our understanding of the processes that underlie these conditions. However, although the pace of new developments is rapid, there remains a gap in evidence for many of these advances and further studies are required.

Positron emission tomography: a study of PET test-related anxiety.

The objective of this study was to determine whether sending an information pamphlet to patients scheduled for a PET test two weeks prior to the appointment date significantly reduced patient anxiety and increased patient knowledge about the test. This study was conducted as a randomized controlled trial in which patients were randomly allocated to receive a mailed information pamphlet (intervention) or no mailed pamphlet two weeks prior to the appointment (usual care). The results of this study suggested that sending information pamphlets to patients scheduled for PET scans did not decrease pre-test levels of patient anxiety or result in increased patient knowledge about test preparation and procedures.