Many noninvasive and invasive tests can delineate cardiac structure and function (see table Tests for Assessing Cardiac Anatomy and Function). Also, treatments can be administered during certain invasive diagnostic tests (eg, percutaneous coronary intervention during cardiac catheterization, radiofrequency ablation during electrophysiologic testing).
Tests for Assessing Cardiac Anatomy and Function
Application | Tests |
|---|---|
Left ventricular function | Cardiac computed tomography (CT) Contrast ventriculography Gated magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) Multiple-gated acquisition (MUGA) radionuclide imaging Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging Single-photon emission CT (SPECT) myocardial perfusion imaging |
Coronary artery disease diagnosis and prognosis | Exercise or pharmacologic stress testing with ECG, myocardial perfusion imaging, or echocardiography |
Myocardial viability | Resting SPECT myocardial perfusion imaging Stress testing (using low-dose dobutamine) with echocardiography(using low-dose dobutamine) with echocardiography |
