Cardiac PET with Myocardial Blood Flow Is Now the Preferred Test for Evaluating Coronary Artery Disease in All Patients

American Society of Nuclear Cardiology (ASNC)

Timothy Bateman, MD, MASNC

New Clinical Indications Statement Expands Recommendations for Cardiac PET and Myocardial Blood Flow Quantification

Based on the clinical and scientific evidence now available, there are no clinical scenarios or patient subgroups where cardiac PET with myocardial blood flow should be excluded.”

— Timothy Bateman, MD, MASNC

FAIRFAX, VA, UNITED STATES, January 26, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The American Society of Nuclear Cardiology (ASNC) has issued a new position statement recommending that, if available, cardiac PET with myocardial blood flow should be used to evaluate all patients with suspected coronary artery disease who are candidates for myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI). The statement, published in the Journal of Nuclear Cardiology, emphasizes that extensive scientific research, worldwide clinical experience, and the latest multisocietal cardiology guidelines affirm cardiac PET’s high diagnostic accuracy, powerful risk stratification, and low radiation exposure.

“Based on the clinical and scientific evidence now available, there are no clinical scenarios or patient subgroups where cardiac PET with myocardial blood flow should be excluded,” says Timothy Bateman, MD, MASNC, lead author of ASNC’s position statement. “Indeed, the latest U.S. and European guidelines for chest pain and chronic coronary disease prominently and explicitly recommend PET MPI with myocardial blood flow quantification for evaluating coronary artery disease.”

ASNC’s position statement details the clinical advantages of cardiac PET MPI, including diagnostic accuracy, risk stratification, robust and reproducible myocardial blood flow quantification, value across diverse patient populations, rapid acquisitions, low radiation exposure, and high image quality. The statement also emphasizes the value of PET/CT for the anatomic information that CT provides.

Used in combination with ASNC’s PET Model Coverage Policy, the new clinical indications statement will encourage adoption of cardiac PET around the world and help U.S. practitioners address delays or denials of testing caused by insurers’ prior authorization policies.

“In the past, insurers’ policies have too often denied cardiac PET testing unless patients met certain restrictive clinical characteristics,” says Jamieson M. Bourque, MD, MHS, FASNC, president of ASNC. “That ends now. This statement confirms that all patients undergoing perfusion imaging are best served by cardiac PET with myocardial blood flow, if available. This is an important step toward ensuring patients have access to the best test.”

Clinical Indications for PET Myocardial Perfusion Imaging and Myocardial Blood Flow Quantification: An American Society of Nuclear Cardiology Position Statement is available for download from the Journal of Nuclear Cardiology.

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About ASNC, the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology

The American Society of Nuclear Cardiology is the international home for nuclear cardiology and the largest professional society devoted exclusively to the field. ASNC’s membership includes more than 5,700 nuclear cardiology professionals from around the world. Founded in 1993, ASNC’s mission is to improve cardiovascular outcomes through image-guided patient management. ASNC establishes standards for excellence in cardiovascular imaging through the development of clinical guidelines, professional medical education, advocacy, and research. ASNC’s official publication is the Journal of Nuclear Cardiology. Learn more at http://www.asnc.org.

Kathy David
American Society of Nuclear Cardiology (ASNC)
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