Now in JNC: Best Practices for SPECT MPI

The September 2025 issue of the Journal of Nuclear Cardiology features 2 studies that highlight the benefits of best SPECT MPI practices on lab efficiency, patient safety, and prognosis.

Maria Alwan, MD

First, the results of a large observational study by Maria Alwan, MD, and colleagues suggest a strategy for increasing the utilization of stress-only SPECT MPI, which is recommended in cardiac imaging guidelines. The analysis of 14,274 patients with normal stress SPECT found that the combination of attenuation correction and prone positioning reduced the need for rest imaging by nearly half and lowered radiotracer doses by over 35 percent.

Alan Rozanski, MD, FASNC

The second SPECT MPI article, by Alan Rozanski, MD, FASNC, et al, examines how failing to consider the potential impacts of post-treatment bias can mask the prognostic value of stress myocardial perfusion imaging. The investigators analyzed a very large patient cohort who were followed for over 11 years with the goal of understanding the relationship of myocardial ischemia to mortality when considering vs. ignoring patients’ revascularization status following testing. Their results have important implications for both clinicians and researchers.

Also in This Month’s JNC: Your 4-Step Guide to Cardiac Amyloidosis Radionuclide Imaging

Dominik C. Benz, MD, FASNC

Dominik C. Benz, MD, FASNC, and colleagues use a real-world clinical case to walk you through the 4 steps of performing and interpreting cardiac amyloidosis radionuclide imaging (CARI). The How to Use Nuclear Cardiology article details the technical standards for instrumentation and protocols important for achieving high diagnostic accuracy by CARI. The authors also provide guidance for avoiding imaging interpretation pitfalls, which could lead to misdiagnosis and inappropriate treatment.

Watch for more highlights from this month’s JNC issue. If you are already logged into your ASNC account, access this month’s JNC here.

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