Definition and research guide
This page combines a MeSH definition, publication statistics and selected research abstracts. It is a starting point for reading the literature, not a medical textbook or a systematic evidence review.
Content available: 4 complete abstracts (787 words), 10 references. Full article text is not stored or reproduced here; follow the PMID, DOI or PMC links to read the original sources and their access terms.
Definition
The creation and display of functional images showing where the blood is flowing into the myocardium by following over time the distribution of tracers injected into the blood stream.
Definition: NLM Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) scope note (Public domain (U.S. National Library of Medicine); attribution requested). View the MeSH record.
Also known as: Imaging, Myocardial Perfusion; Perfusion Imaging, Myocardial; Myocardial Scintigraphy; Scintigraphy, Myocardial.
Where it fits in the MeSH classification
- Broader topics
- Cardiac Imaging Techniques; Perfusion Imaging; Heart Function Tests
Related concepts
Research landscape
PubMed indexes 6,627 records tagged with the MeSH heading “Myocardial Perfusion Imaging” (counts retrieved 2026-11-04). 2,107 of them (31.8%) were published from 2020 onward, and the busiest period so far is 2010-2019 with 4,392 records.
Reviews account for 747 records (11.3%) and meta-analyses for 70. Randomized controlled trials number 212 (3.2%) as a share of all records on the topic.
Show the data
| Period | Records |
|---|---|
| through 1999 | 0 |
| 2000-2009 | 416 |
| 2010-2019 | 4,392 |
| 2020 onward | 2,107 |
Publication-type chart data
| Type | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews | 747 | 11.3% |
| Meta-analyses | 70 | 1.1% |
| Randomized controlled trials | 212 | 3.2% |
Method: PubMed query "Myocardial Perfusion Imaging"[MeSH Terms] with publication-type and date filters, retrieved 2026-11-04.
Reading the evidence in diagnostics and medical technology
A test or device is judged by how well it detects a condition, how often it gives false alarms or misses cases, and whether using it improves outcomes for people. Accuracy depends on who is tested and how common the condition is, so a test that performs well in a specialist hospital can perform differently in the community. Check the reference standard, the population studied, the sensitivity and specificity and whether results were confirmed in a separate group.
Evidence from open-access studies
These open-access studies come from PubMed’s best-match results for this heading (papers whose main topic it is), ranked here by citation count, with one recent addition. Each abstract is reproduced in full under its recorded open licence so that you can read the authors’ own words. They illustrate the literature; they are not a systematic summary of it. Citation counts measure attention, not reliability or clinical benefit.
Dynamic myocardial CT perfusion imaging-state of the art [1]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- In patients with suspected coronary artery disease (CAD), dynamic myocardial computed tomography perfusion (CTP) imaging combined with coronary CT angiography (CTA) has become a comprehensive diagnostic examination technique resulting in both anatomical and quantitative functional information on myocardial blood flow, and the presence and grading of stenosis.
- Closing excerpt
- • Dynamic CTP accompanied by coronary CTA may serve as a gatekeeper for invasive workup and can guide treatment in obstructive coronary artery disease.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (222 words)
In patients with suspected coronary artery disease (CAD), dynamic myocardial computed tomography perfusion (CTP) imaging combined with coronary CT angiography (CTA) has become a comprehensive diagnostic examination technique resulting in both anatomical and quantitative functional information on myocardial blood flow, and the presence and grading of stenosis. Recently, CTP imaging has been proven to have good diagnostic accuracy for detecting myocardial ischemia, comparable to stress magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography perfusion, while being superior to single photon emission computed tomography. Dynamic CTP accompanied by coronary CTA can serve as a gatekeeper for invasive workup, as it reduces unnecessary diagnostic invasive coronary angiography. Dynamic CTP also has good prognostic value for the prediction of major adverse cardiovascular events. In this article, we will provide an overview of dynamic CTP, including the basics of coronary blood flow physiology, applications and technical aspects including protocols, image acquisition and reconstruction, future perspectives, and scientific challenges. KEY POINTS: • Stress dynamic myocardial CT perfusion combined with coronary CTA is a comprehensive diagnostic examination technique resulting in both anatomical and quantitative functional information. • Dynamic CTP imaging has good diagnostic accuracy for detecting myocardial ischemia comparable to stress MRI and PET perfusion. • Dynamic CTP accompanied by coronary CTA may serve as a gatekeeper for invasive workup and can guide treatment in obstructive coronary artery disease.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 36997751 · DOI · PMC10326111
The prognostic value of CZT SPECT myocardial blood flow (MBF) quantification in patients with ischemia and no obstructive coronary artery disease (INOCA): a pilot study [2]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- BackgroundDespite the demonstrated adverse outcome, it is difficult to early identify the risks for patients with ischemia and no obstructive coronary artery disease (INOCA).
- Closing excerpt
- Optimal thresholds of sMBFConclusionThe preliminary results demonstrated that quantitative analysis on CZT SPECT provides prognostic value for INOCA patients, which may allow the stratification for early prevention and intervention.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (164 words)
BackgroundDespite the demonstrated adverse outcome, it is difficult to early identify the risks for patients with ischemia and no obstructive coronary artery disease (INOCA). We aimed to explore the prognostic potential of CZT SPECT in INOCA patients.MethodsThe study population consisted of a retrospective cohort of 118 INOCA patients, all of whom underwent CZT SPECT imaging and invasive coronary angiography (ICA). Dynamic data were reconstructed, and MBF was quantified using net retention model. Major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) were defined as cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, heart failure, late coronary revascularization, or hospitalization for unstable angina.ResultsDuring a median follow-up of 15 months (interquartile range (IQR) 11-20), 19 (16.1%) MACEs occurred; both stress myocardial blood flow (sMBF) ([Formula: see text]) and coronary flow reserve (CFR) ([Formula: see text]) were significantly lower in the MACE group. Optimal thresholds of sMBFConclusionThe preliminary results demonstrated that quantitative analysis on CZT SPECT provides prognostic value for INOCA patients, which may allow the stratification for early prevention and intervention.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 36786817 · DOI · PMC10199834
Myocardial Perfusion SPECT Imaging Radiomic Features and Machine Learning Algorithms for Cardiac Contractile Pattern Recognition [3]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- A U-shaped contraction pattern was shown to be associated with a better Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) response.
- Closing excerpt
- A promising outcome was obtained when using radiomic and ConQuaFea from GSPECT MPI to detect left ventricular contractile patterns by machine learning.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (258 words)
A U-shaped contraction pattern was shown to be associated with a better Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) response. The main goal of this study is to automatically recognize left ventricular contractile patterns using machine learning algorithms trained on conventional quantitative features (ConQuaFea) and radiomic features extracted from Gated single-photon emission computed tomography myocardial perfusion imaging (GSPECT MPI). Among 98 patients with standard resting GSPECT MPI included in this study, 29 received CRT therapy and 69 did not (also had CRT inclusion criteria but did not receive treatment yet at the time of data collection, or refused treatment). A total of 69 non-CRT patients were employed for training, and the 29 were employed for testing. The models were built utilizing features from three distinct feature sets (ConQuaFea, radiomics, and ConQuaFea + radiomics (combined)), which were chosen using Recursive feature elimination (RFE) feature selection (FS), and then trained using seven different machine learning (ML) classifiers. In addition, CRT outcome prediction was assessed by different treatment inclusion criteria as the study's final phase. The MLP classifier had the highest performance among ConQuaFea models (AUC, SEN, SPE = 0.80, 0.85, 0.76). RF achieved the best performance in terms of AUC, SEN, and SPE with values of 0.65, 0.62, and 0.68, respectively, among radiomic models. GB and RF approaches achieved the best AUC, SEN, and SPE values of 0.78, 0.92, and 0.63 and 0.74, 0.93, and 0.56, respectively, among the combined models. A promising outcome was obtained when using radiomic and ConQuaFea from GSPECT MPI to detect left ventricular contractile patterns by machine learning.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 36376780 · DOI · PMC10039187
Downstream invasive coronary procedures following PET Versus SPECT myocardial perfusion imaging: a propensity-matched analysis [4]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- MethodsWe performed a retrospective analysis using the TriNetX Research Network.
- Closing excerpt
- These findings suggest that PET may improve selection of patients for invasive evaluation and enhance efficiency of downstream care.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (143 words)
MethodsWe performed a retrospective analysis using the TriNetX Research Network. Adults undergoing PET or SPECT MPI without prior coronary revascularization were identified. The primary endpoint was invasive coronary angiography (ICA) within 90 days, with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) as a secondary endpoint. Propensity score matching (1:1) was performed to adjust for baseline differences.ResultsA total of 33,822 propensity-matched patients were included (PET n=16,911; SPECT n=16,911). At 90 days, ICA occurred less frequently after PET compared with SPECT (6.0% vs 6.8%; RR 0.89, 95% CI 0.82-0.97; p=0.005). Conversely, PCI was more frequent following PET (0.9% vs 0.4%; RR 2.00, 95% CI 1.51-2.65; pConclusionIn a large real-world cohort, PET MPI was associated with fewer downstream invasive coronary angiograms and a higher procedural PCI yield compared with SPECT. These findings suggest that PET may improve selection of patients for invasive evaluation and enhance efficiency of downstream care.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 42432134 · DOI · PMC13633369
Key reviews and meta-analyses
The most cited review-type papers among PubMed’s best-match results for this heading, listed with bibliographic details only. Follow the links for the full text and access terms.
- Research article Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) Myocardial Perfusion Imaging Guidelines: Instrumentation, Acquisition, Processing, and Interpretation [5]
- Research article Myocardial Perfusion PET for the Detection and Reporting of Coronary Microvascular Dysfunction: A JACC: Cardiovascular Imaging Expert Panel Statement [6]
- Research article Stress myocardial perfusion: imaging with multidetector CT [7]
- Research article Coronary Microvascular Dysfunction: Clinical Considerations and Noninvasive Diagnosis [8]
- Research article Clinical Quantification of Myocardial Blood Flow Using PET: Joint Position Paper of the SNMMI Cardiovascular Council and the ASNC [9]
- Research article Ultrafast cardiac ultrasound imaging: technical principles, applications, and clinical benefits [10]
References
- Sliwicka O, Sechopoulos I, Baggiano A, Pontone G, Nijveldt R, Habets J. Dynamic myocardial CT perfusion imaging-state of the art. . 2023. PMID 36997751 · DOI · PMC10326111
- Zhang H, Caobelli F, Che W, Huang Y, Zhang Y, Fan X, et al.. The prognostic value of CZT SPECT myocardial blood flow (MBF) quantification in patients with ischemia and no obstructive coronary artery disease (INOCA): a pilot study. . 2023. PMID 36786817 · DOI · PMC10199834
- Sabouri M, Hajianfar G, Hosseini Z, Amini M, Mohebi M, Ghaedian T, et al.. Myocardial Perfusion SPECT Imaging Radiomic Features and Machine Learning Algorithms for Cardiac Contractile Pattern Recognition. . 2023. PMID 36376780 · DOI · PMC10039187
- Tabaja C, Motairek I, Abadie B, Young L, Menon V, Jaber WA. Downstream invasive coronary procedures following PET Versus SPECT myocardial perfusion imaging: a propensity-matched analysis. . 2026. PMID 42432134 · DOI · PMC13633369
- Dorbala S, Ananthasubramaniam K, Armstrong IS, Chareonthaitawee P, DePuey EG, Einstein AJ, et al.. Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) Myocardial Perfusion Imaging Guidelines: Instrumentation, Acquisition, Processing, and Interpretation. J Nucl Cardiol. 2018. PMID 29802599 · DOI
- Schindler TH, Fearon WF, Pelletier-Galarneau M, Ambrosio G, Sechtem U, Ruddy TD, et al.. Myocardial Perfusion PET for the Detection and Reporting of Coronary Microvascular Dysfunction: A JACC: Cardiovascular Imaging Expert Panel Statement. JACC Cardiovasc Imaging. 2023. PMID 36881418 · DOI
- Rossi A, Merkus D, Klotz E, Mollet N, de Feyter PJ, Krestin GP. Stress myocardial perfusion: imaging with multidetector CT. Radiology. 2014. PMID 24354374 · DOI
- Schindler TH, Dilsizian V. Coronary Microvascular Dysfunction: Clinical Considerations and Noninvasive Diagnosis. JACC Cardiovasc Imaging. 2020. PMID 30982670 · DOI
- Murthy VL, Bateman TM, Beanlands RS, Berman DS, Borges-Neto S, Chareonthaitawee P, et al.. Clinical Quantification of Myocardial Blood Flow Using PET: Joint Position Paper of the SNMMI Cardiovascular Council and the ASNC. J Nucl Cardiol. 2018. PMID 29243073 · DOI
- Cikes M, Tong L, Sutherland GR, D'hooge J. Ultrafast cardiac ultrasound imaging: technical principles, applications, and clinical benefits. JACC Cardiovasc Imaging. 2014. PMID 25124014 · DOI
About this article
- Sources
- NLM Medical Subject Headings (definition, synonyms); NCBI PubMed (counts, identifiers); Europe PMC (open-access abstracts and citation counts).
- Verification
- Every reference was resolved against PubMed on 2026-11-04; title, year and DOI matched.
- Review state
- automated source verified; no human expert review has been recorded yet.
- Version
- 1, last updated 2026-11-04.
See how EvidenceLib is built. Spotted an error? Email support@evidencehelix.com.
Evidence strength
EvidenceHelix's computed view of the study designs behind this topic: how common meta-analyses, randomized trials and reviews are, how recent the literature is, and a plain-language reading. It describes the design mix of the literature. It is not a quality appraisal of any study, and it is not medical advice.