Reducing radiation to patients and improving image quality in a real-world nuclear cardiology laboratory

J Nucl Cardiol. 2017 Dec;24(6):1871-1877. doi: 10.1007/s12350-017-0851-x. Epub 2017 Mar 22.

Abstract

In part because of aging equipment and reduced reimbursement for imaging services in the last several years, nuclear cardiologists who remain in private practice face challenges in maintaining high quality and in reducing radiation exposure to patients. We review patient-centered approaches and affordable software solutions employed in our practice combined with supine-prone myocardial perfusion imaging to achieve increased interpretive confidence with reduced radiation exposure to patients.

Keywords: Wide beam iterative software; low radiation nuclear stress testing; more confident interpretation; private cardiologist; prone imaging.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Humans
  • Myocardial Perfusion Imaging / methods*
  • Patient-Centered Care
  • Radiation Exposure / prevention & control*
  • Software
  • Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon / methods*