Nuclear cardiology in the detection of coronary artery disease--an overview of its role in the Singapore General Hospital.

: Nuclear cardiology at the Singapore General Hospital (SGH) had a humble beginning in 1983 when it was carried out by the joint staff of the departments of cardiology and nuclear medicine. At the onset the bulk of the scans were blood pool studies. In 1984, qualitative tomographic myocardial perfusion studies replaced the less accurate planar scans and this was carried out on a routine basis. Its superiority to conventional exercise electrocardiography in the detection, management and prognostication of coronary artery disease (CAD) has since been validated locally. We have since progressed to the fields of research involving pharmacological stress testing with intravenous dipyridamole and use of technetium-based isonitrile as an alternative to the conventional myocardial perfusion agent, thallous chloride. Our results mirror those from other research centres. On this encouraging note we are looking into newer areas such as the role of diastolic function for early detection of cardiac disease. In under a decade we are in a position to provide scintigraphic service expected of an established nuclear cardiac laboratory. This article provides an overview of our work in the management of CAD.