Patient Motion During Cardiac PET Imaging

Cardiac positron emission tomography (PET) myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) utilization has increased consistently throughout the United States over the past 10 years. This expansion is attributed to multiple advantages, including higher diagnostic accuracy, faster scan protocols, lower patient and staff radiation exposure, and fewer artifacts, resulting in fewer false-positive studies as well as the value of myocardial blood flow assessment. The use of attenuation correction has virtually eliminated attenuation artifact. However motion artifact with cardiac PET does occur. This happens when a patient literally moves during the rest or stress data acquisition, potentially producing inconclusive or false-positive results.

This whitepaper will examine patient motion during PET imaging with Rubidium-82 (Rb-82), the characteristic appearance of motion artifacts, the consequential impact on clinical interpretation and finally suggestions for prevention.