Anatomy of the Myocardium - SPECT and Planar

  1. Look at the anatomy of the heart as it relates to the tomographic slices
      2. cardiacspectslicelabel.jpg - 110314 Bytes

      A - Septal

      B - Apex

      C - Lateral

      D - Base

      E - Anterior

      F - Inferior

      G - Anterior
    1. The images above show the heart as it would "rest" within the thoracic cavity
    2. Note that the heart is set off to a left angle. This changes the tomographic orientation
    3. Traditionally, sagittal, coronal, and transverse plains are used, however, since parallel planes can not be drawn through the heart the tomographic orientation must be redefined
      1. Blue plain = vertical long axis
      2. Gray plain = horizontal long axis
      3. Red plain = short axis
    4. While nuclear cardiology slices are displayed, you can click the image to discover what the plain would look like in an MRI study. This may also help you further understand the anatomical orientation of the myocardium
    5. In addition, the walls of the LV have been identified in the above diagram

    PET imagines of myocardial anatomy

  2. Yet another set of images displaying not just the LV, but the location of other myocardial anatomy
  3. Displaying rest and stress images

      4. cardspect1.jpg - 113822 Bytes>

    1. The above diagram represents the processed data from a Thallium stress test
    2. Stress and redistribution slices are compared showing the same regions of the myocardial walls: vertical long axis, horizontal long axis, and short axis
    3. Each stress slice is the same location of the redistribution slice
    4. If an ischemic area is present, the stress image would show a cold region in one or more areas of the LV, and the redistribution image would show the same area with increased uptake
    5. If an infarct was present, then both stress and distribution images would show a cold region within one or more of the walls of the LV
    6. The above example is of a normal Thallium stress procedure with no defects present

      7. spectwalllabelbw.gif - 59628 Bytes These images to the left

      represent the LV walls

      labeled Short, Vertical Long, and Horizontal Long

      in a gray scale format instead of color.

      It should also be noted

      that different processing programs

      place or orientate the final processed data at different angles.

      Compare the colored images (ADAC) to the BW images (Microdelta)


  4. Let 's take a look at the anatomy - CTA



      http://www.oakwood.org/ccta

    1. CT angio displays the three major arteries of the heart
    2. Animation and labeling are provided
  5. A quick look at where the walls are if planar imaging is taken
  6. Images below are diagrams only and define the walls of the LV
  7. Unfortunately, actual images were not available, however, the diagrams correlate the anatomical structure located in the LV
  8. Planar images of the Anterior, Left anterior Oblique, and Left-Lateral are noted

planarwallslabeled.jpg - 35560 Bytes

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