Key result
Nuclear imaging serves as a valuable second- or third-line modality in pediatric cardiology for assessing myocardial perfusion, lung perfusion, and inflammation.
Why the study?
Nuclear imaging plays a unique role in diagnostic imaging and can add complementary information to echocardiography or magnetic resonance imaging in pediatric and congenital cardiology.
Systematic Review
Nuclear imaging offers unique functional and molecular insights in pediatric cardiology, complementing standard anatomical imaging despite limitations like radiation exposure.
Nuclear imaging applications in pediatric cardiology remain descriptive; leaves open prospective validation before routine adoption.
Nuclear imaging plays a unique role within diagnostic imaging since it focuses on cellular and molecular processes. Using different radiotracers and detection techniques such as the single photon emission scintigraphy or the positron emission tomography, specific parameters can be assessed: myocardial perfusion and viability, pulmonary perfusion, ventricular function, flow and shunt quantification, and detection of inflammatory processes. In pediatric and congenital cardiology, nuclear imaging can add complementary information compared to other imaging modalities such as echocardiography or magnetic resonance imaging. In this state-of-the-art paper, we appraise the different techniques in pediatric nuclear imaging, evaluate their advantages and disadvantages, and discuss the current clinical applications.
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Venet et al. (2022) conducted a systematic review in Pediatric heart disease. Nuclear imaging (PET, SPECT, Scintigraphy) was evaluated. Nuclear imaging serves as a valuable second- or third-line modality in pediatric cardiology for assessing myocardial perfusion, lung perfusion, and inflammation.
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