Risk stratification assessed by single photon emission computed tomography in coronary artery disease

Using the combination of the myocardial perfusion and poststress ejection fraction(EF) by the gated myocardial SPECT in the risk stratification for the patients who had coronary artery diseases to assess the risk of nonfatal myocardial infarction versus cardiac death can assist in determining the appropri-ate treatment strategy for the individual patient. With EF≥30% and SDS(summed difference score)>7, the patients who are at intermediate or higher risk of cardiac death might benefit more from revasculariza-tion; patients with SDS 2~7 and EF>50% are at low risk and aggressive medical therapy might be pre-ferred; while those with EF 30%~50% are at intermediate risk and might benefit more from early invasive strategy in conjunction with medical therapy; and the patients with no evidence of ischemia on perfusion imaging, who have very low risk of cardiac death and therefore, might benefit more from initial medical therapy.