Myocardial Perfusion Study to Detect Coronary Artery Disease.

Nuclear medicine uses radiopharmaceuticals to diagnose and treat disease. The myocardial perfusion study shows how well blood flows through the coronary arteries to the muscle tissue of the heart. The procedure most often is used to diagnose coronary artery disease (CAD), a condition where plaque and inflammation has damaged the coronary arteries. This article discusses CAD and its risk factors, functions of the heart, the role of radiopharmaceuticals in myocardial perfusion studies, and diagnosis and treatment of common coronary artery blockages.