Significance of defect severity in technetium-99m-MIBI SPECT at rest to assess myocardial viability: comparison with fluorine-18-FDG PET.

Abstract

In patients with CAD, 99mTc-MIBI uptake underestimates myocardial viability in comparison to 18FDG-PET. Myocardial 99mTc-MIBI uptake therefore appears to reflect myocardial blood flow rather than myocardial viability. Patients with moderate and severe 99mTc-MIBI defects at rest may benefit from additional metabolic PET imaging prior to final therapeutic decisions.