From Clinical Value to Operational Readiness: Building a Sustainable Cardiac PET Program
Cardiac PET is no longer simply an advanced imaging option. For many health systems, it is becoming an important part of a modern cardiovascular care strategy.
With superior diagnostic accuracy, the ability to quantify myocardial blood flow, lower radiation exposure, shorter exam times, and meaningful workflow advantages, Cardiac PET offers value across clinical, operational, financial, and strategic dimensions.
But successfully building or expanding a Cardiac PET program requires more than selecting a scanner or adding a new modality. It requires a clear implementation plan.
That was the focus of CDL Nuclear Technologies' educational webinar, Building a High-Performance Cardiac PET Program in Your Health System, featuring Rupa Sanghani, MD, FACC, FASNC, Director of Nuclear Cardiology and Stress Laboratory at Rush University Medical Center, and Brendon Loiselle, Chief Business Development Officer at CDL Nuclear Technologies.
The session was designed to help hospital and health system leaders understand what it takes to successfully stand up and scale a Cardiac PET program, from the clinical case for adoption to the practical considerations that influence long-term success.
Cardiac PET Offers a Stronger Clinical View
One of the clearest advantages discussed during the webinar was the clinical superiority of Cardiac PET. Compared to traditional SPECT imaging, Cardiac PET can provide higher-quality, higher-resolution images that support greater diagnostic confidence. This can help physicians better detect coronary artery disease, identify smaller perfusion defects, and reduce uncertainty when interpreting results.¹
Cardiac PET also offers an important differentiator: the ability to quantify myocardial blood flow and myocardial blood flow reserve. These measurements give clinicians a more complete view of coronary physiology, including insights into focal disease, diffuse disease, and microvascular dysfunction.²
During the webinar, Dr. Sanghani explained that Cardiac PET brings together four important sources of information: relative myocardial perfusion, true stress ejection fraction, coronary calcium assessment, and quantitative myocardial blood flow and flow reserve. Evaluating these elements together can provide a more comprehensive assessment than relying on perfusion images alone.
For symptomatic intermediate-risk patients and patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease, this additional level of insight can support more informed decision-making and better risk assessment.
Dr. Sanghani illustrated this value through the case of a 70-year-old woman who continued experiencing exertional shortness of breath despite having a previously reported normal SPECT study. Her Cardiac PET perfusion images showed only mild ischemia, but reduced myocardial blood flow reserve, a calcium score of approximately 1,500, and other high-risk markers raised concern for balanced ischemia. Subsequent angiography confirmed significant left main and proximal coronary disease, demonstrating how quantitative Cardiac PET findings can identify high-risk physiology that relative perfusion imaging alone may underestimate.
A Better Experience for Patients
As discussed during the webinar, Cardiac PET studies can typically be completed in approximately 35 to 40 minutes in an efficient lab, compared with roughly three hours for traditional nuclear stress imaging. As Cardiac PET protocols are typically much faster, reducing the time patients spend in the imaging department is an advantage.³ The modality can also support lower radiation exposure compared to SPECT, depending on the protocol and tracer used.²
For patients, this can mean a faster, more comfortable, and more efficient imaging experience. For health systems, it can mean improved scheduling, increased patient satisfaction, and a more streamlined diagnostic pathway.
Operational Efficiency Matters
While the clinical benefits of Cardiac PET are significant, implementation success also depends on operational readiness. Dr. Sanghani emphasized that a successful program needs both a physician champion and a nuclear medicine technologist leader, supported by a multidisciplinary team. Engaging nursing, scheduling, preauthorization, billing, and operational stakeholders early can help organizations anticipate challenges before they disrupt implementation.
Organizations should also consider whether the PET/CT camera will be dedicated or shared with another service, how appointment times will evolve as the team gains experience, and where patient preparation, monitoring, and stress supervision will occur. The goal is to design a workflow that protects patient and staff safety while supporting efficient camera use and future growth.
Without a clear structure, even a clinically valuable program can face barriers that slow adoption or limit scalability. A successful Cardiac PET program is built on the right combination of clinical leadership, operational alignment, implementation support, and a roadmap for growth.
Moving from Interest to Implementation
For many organizations, the question is no longer whether Cardiac PET offers value. The question is how to implement it successfully.
That is where a clear framework becomes essential.
CDL Nuclear Technologies' Cardiac PET 360 approach is designed to help healthcare organizations move from early evaluation to implementation, optimization, and growth. Rather than approaching Cardiac PET as a single equipment decision, Cardiac PET 360 helps organizations think through the full program journey, including planning, access, equipment, radiopharmaceutical strategy, staffing, workflow, reimbursement guidance, service, and ongoing support.
A Clear Path Forward
Cardiac PET offers health systems an opportunity to improve diagnostic confidence, enhance patient care, increase operational efficiency, and support cardiovascular program growth.
But success depends on preparation.
By understanding the clinical value, anticipating implementation challenges, and building a clear pathway for adoption, healthcare organizations can create Cardiac PET programs that are not only launched successfully, but positioned to scale.
When your organization is ready to take the next step, CDL Nuclear Technologies can help you build a clearer path to Cardiac PET adoption and long-term program success. Watch the webinar to learn more.
References
Bateman TM et al. J Nucl Cardiol. 2016;23: 1227-1231.
Bateman TM et al. J Nucl Cardiol. 2006;13: 24-33.
Bateman TM. J Nucl Cardiol. 2012;19: 3-11.