Has the era of dual-gated myocardial perfusion SPECT and PET arrived?

Excerpt

Many studies have investigated how to eliminate image blurring caused by cardiac and respiratory motions in cardiac single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and positron emission tomography (PET) images. Cardiac electrocardiographic (ECG)-gated SPECT and PET are established methods with which to monitor the beating heart, which allows evaluation of cardiac functions such as left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), cardiac volume, and the contraction indices. Consequently, an algorithm was created to generate images that are free of cardiac motion, and it has been clinically applied.1 Image blurring caused by cardiac motion was eliminated while myocardial count density was maintained. By contrast, some medical devices can monitor and measure abdominal and thoracic movements during respiration,2 and a data-driven algorithm to detect respiratory motion is also available.3 Therefore, clinical dual-gated myocardial perfusion SPECT and PET image acquisitions could become routine considering these technological advancements. …