Feasibility of exercise treadmill 13 N-ammonia positron emission tomography myocardial perfusion imaging using an off-site cyclotron
Recommended Citation
Harland DR, Galazka PZ, Rasmussen J, Mahlum D, Falk J, Port SC. Feasibility of exercise treadmill 13N-ammonia positron emission tomography myocardial perfusion imaging using an off-site cyclotron. J Nucl Cardiol. 2022;29(3):938-945. doi:10.1007/s12350-020-02366-z
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Myocardial perfusion imaging with treadmill exercise nitrogen-13 (13N)-ammonia positron emission tomography (PET) presents a logistical challenge. We investigated the feasibility of exercise treadmill (GXT) 13N-ammonia PET MPI using an off-site cyclotron for production of 13N-ammonia.
METHODS: Thirty-three patients underwent GXT 13N-ammonia PET MPI over 23 months. 13N-ammonia doses were prepared at an off-site cyclotron. Patients underwent 13N-ammonia resting and 13N-ammonia GXT emission and transmission scans at our facility. Image quality, perfusion data, and clinical variables were evaluated.
RESULTS: We analyzed 33 patients (7/26 female/male). Mean age was 63 ± 12 years and mean BMI was 33.7 ± 6.9. GXT PET was feasible in all patients. Image quality was good in 29 patients, adequate in 3, and severely compromised in 1 patient. Summed stress score was 4.5 ± 5.7. Resting and GXT left ventricular ejection fractions were 63.7 ± 10.9% and 66.3 ± 13.1%. TID ratio was 1.0 ± 0.1.
CONCLUSIONS: Treadmill exercise 13N-ammonia PET is feasible in a large medical center without access to an on-site cyclotron. This technique requires close coordination with an off-site cyclotron but expands the role of PET to patients for whom exercise is more appropriate than pharmacologic stress imaging.
Document Type
Article
PubMed ID
33073320
Affiliations
Aurora Sinai/Aurora St. Luke's Medical Centers