Noninvasive diagnosis of culprit lesions with the use of single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography fusion images in patients with multivessel coronary artery disease.

Coronary computed tomography (CT) enables noninvasive, highly diagnostic visualization of coronary artery stenosis. However, identifying culprit lesions in patients with multivessel coronary artery stenoses is difficult. Cardiac single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) shows ischemic regions with high diagnostic accuracy, although evaluating the vascular territory supplied by each coronary artery is difficult. Fusion of coronary CT images and cardiac SPECT images allows accurate identification of the coronary artery supplying the ischemic region. This novel technique enables noninvasive diagnosis of culprit lesions requiring revascularization.