A host of imaging techniques are available to clinical cardiologists, including nuclear imaging, echocardiography, computerized tomography, and magnetic-resonance imaging. Chamber size, ventricular function, valvular function, coronary anatomy, and myocardial perfusion are among a wide array of cardiac characteristics that can all be assessed noninvasively. Cardiovascular Imaging systematically reviews each of these major techniques and provides clinical data from well-designed research studies. Following a brief overview of non-invasive cardiac imaging and the stress modalities used to detect coronary disease, case-based chapters are devoted to each of the various imaging techniques. The final chapter provides a glimpse of future possibilities, particularly with respect to molecular imaging. The text is illustrated throughout with amply-sized images. Demonstrating the values and limitations of the imaging techniques, the book enables practitioners to determine which test, in which patient population, and for which purpose would be the most appropriate to use.
