High-efficiency SPECT system works, even in morbidly obese

A high-efficiency SPECT system provided high quality and diagnostically accurate images for detecting coronary artery disease in obese patients, even morbidly obese patients, researchers reported in the April issue of the Journal of Nuclear Cardiology.

Obesity increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and it also poses challenges for cardiologists and radiologists who want to evaluate these patients because soft tissue may create artifacts. Ryo Nakazato, PhD, of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, and colleagues wanted to assess the image quality and diagnostic value of new high-efficiency SPECT cameras using multiple pinhole collimation with cadmium-zinc-telluride (CZT) semiconductor detectors in this patient population. Read more.