Seeing the Unseen: How Quantitative PET Unlocks Hidden Coronary Risk (2026)-WEB02-2026

Video Transcription

Video Summary

The webinar explained how coronary artery disease has shifted from mainly obstructive blockages to widespread diffuse non-obstructive and microvascular disease, driven by rising obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and kidney disease. Because many patients now have symptoms and risk without a major angiographic stenosis, conventional tests like angiography and SPECT can miss important disease.  <br /><br />Quantitative PET imaging was presented as a solution because it measures myocardial blood flow and coronary flow reserve, providing a more complete picture of coronary physiology. The speaker showed that low flow reserve strongly predicts cardiovascular events, even when standard images appear normal, and can uncover hidden multivessel or balanced ischemia. PET may also better guide management by identifying patients who truly need revascularization versus medical therapy.  <br /><br />The talk highlighted newer applications, including subendocardial flow assessment, integration with CT for plaque and body composition, and potential expansion to other organs. A new fluorine-18 tracer, flurpiridaz, may improve access to cardiac PET. In the Q&A, the speaker noted that PET flow alone cannot distinguish scar from viable hypoperfused tissue and should be interpreted alongside other imaging or metabolic data.

Keywords

coronary artery disease

microvascular disease

quantitative PET imaging

myocardial blood flow

coronary flow reserve

cardiovascular risk

balanced ischemia

flurpiridaz

revascularization