The introduction of tracer kinetic modeling techniques in conjunction with
nuclear imaging has allowed the assessment of physiologic processes in the
myocardium in a noninvasive and quantitative manner. Alongside the developm
ent of novel radiopharmaceuticals for both positron emission tomography and
single photon emission computed tomography is the clarification of their p
harmacology, pharmacokinetics, and modeling strategies for assessment of ph
ysiologic rates from imaging data. Image analysis and tracer kinetic modeli
ng techniques used in nuclear cardiology must address unique considerations
related to the heart. The most commonly used tracers and modeling techniqu
es are presently discussed, with particular attention given to methods that
allow absolute quantitation of physiologic processes. The applications of
these techniques are obvious in research protocols and may find more use in
future clinical studies.