Predicting Clinical Outcomes With Noninvasive Cardiac Imaging: One-Year Follow Up Results From the SPARC Study

PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Research presented today at the 15th Annual Scientific Session of the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology confirms that stress perfusion imaging and noninvasive angiography provide important data to physicians managing patients with coronary artery disease (CAD).  According to results from the SPARC (Study of Myocardial Perfusion and Coronary Anatomy Imaging Roles in CAD) trial, SPECT, PET, and 64-slice coronary CT angiography (CCTA) all achieve significant risk stratification and add incremental value over pre-imaging data for the prediction of clinical outcomes.

Investigators compared the incremental prognostic value of SPECT, PET, and CCTA among 3,019 patients with either prior CAD or intermediate/high CAD likelihood.  SPECT was performed in 932 patients, PET was performed in 1,170 patients, and 917 patients underwent a CCTA study.  Three hundred and ninety patients were excluded from final analysis due to voluntary withdrawal or early revascularization.

Of the remaining 2,729 patients, 84 events occurred during the first year of follow-up (42 all-cause deaths, 16 myocardial infarctions, and 26 revascularizations).   Analysis of pre-imaging data revealed age, diabetes, prior myocardial infarction, and academic centers were most closely associated with the events. The addition of imaging result and modality to this pre-imaging data was shown to be significant, and the authors conclude that SPECT, PET, and CCTA can help physicians stratify patient risk and predict one-year adverse events.

Dr. Rory Hachamovitch will present this study, "Predicting Clinical Outcomes with Noninvasive Cardiac Imaging: One-Year follow up results from the SPARC study" Saturday, September 25, 2010 at 12:00 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom, Salon H of the Marriott Downtown Philadelphia.

The American Society of Nuclear Cardiology (ASNC) is the leader in education, advocacy, and quality for the field of nuclear cardiology.  Serving more than 5,000 individuals in over 50 countries, ASNC is the only professional association dedicated to the dynamic subspecialty of nuclear cardiology.

SOURCE American Society of Nuclear Cardiology