Nuclear Cardiology: Basic and Advanced Concepts in Clinical Practice

This book covers relevant concepts in nuclear cardiology, combining imaging techniques and clinical data to do so. Today, nuclear cardiology is a worldwide discipline connected to the broader field of cardiovascular imaging. The combination of clinical aspects (symptoms, medications, previous cardiac procedures), ancillary exams and nuclear images is key to decision-making in clinical practice. Thus, a book on this topic is essential to provide better outcomes for cardiology patients.

The chapters cover a comprehensive range of topics in current cardiology practice, such as ambulatory patients, patients in emergency settings, patients after complex cardiac procedures, and patients during and after the use of cancer therapies that are potentially toxic for the heart (cardio-oncology). As such, multiple clinical scenarios are also presented: patients with suspected coronary disease, patients with heart failure of unknown origin, patients with acute chest pain in the emergency department, patients with suspected pulmonary embolism, patients with complications of the left ventricular assist device, etc. Furthermore, the book describes nuclear cardiology procedures and techniques, discusses the main clinical indications and scenarios for each procedure, presents new technological advances in the field (machine learning and artificial intelligence tools), and mentions the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Given its scope, the book offers a valuable guide and videos for various medical professionals, especially cardiologists and nuclear physicians.