Simple multimodality imaging: An easy, rapid, and inexpensive approach to improve non-invasive test accuracy

Excerpt

Cardiac multimodality imaging uses two or more separate imaging technologies to provide information on structure and function. Two imaging modalities that are commonly considered for multimodality imaging include computed tomography (CT) and myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) by either single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) or positron emission tomography (PET). The major goal of multimodality imaging is “to improve the ability to diagnose, guide therapy, or predict outcomes.”1 Although the concept of multimodality imaging has existed for years, applying this approach in practice has been limited by a number of barriers, including technical limitations related to performing and synthesizing the results of two or more imaging modalities into useful clinical information; longer imaging time; increased radiation exposure; lack of reimbursement; and uncertainty about which patients benefit from this approach. Recent technological advances have led to improvements for both CT and MPI, including shorter imaging times and lower radiation exposure. Industry has capitalized on these advancements and has combined CT with SPECT or PET into single camera systems that can generate a single, co-registered “fusion” or “hybrid” image. …