The role of myocardial perfusion imaging in patient assessment after acutemyocardial infarction

Myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) is a useful noninvasive test for the eva luation of patients following acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Early (2-3 days postadmission) pharmacological stress or pre-discharge exercise MPI i n patients with uncomplicated AMI is safe and provides important prognostic information of the risk of subsequent cardiac events. The most powerful pr edictors of prognosis (total defect size, extent of reversibility and resti ng left ventricular ejection fraction) can be assessed with a single non-in vasive test employing gated single photon emission computed tomography (gat ed-SPECT) technology. (Eur Heart J Supplements 2001; 3 (Suppl F): F8-F10) ( C) 2001 The European Society of Cardiology.