Myocardial Perfusion Scintigraphy in Diagnosic of Coronary Heart Disease

<i>Introduction: </i>Atherosclerosis plays a key role in the etiopathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases. Atherosclerosis is a generalized chronic inflammatory disease of the vascular wall, which results in anatomical and histological changes that, together with functional changes, lead to endothelial dysfunction, narrowing of the arterial lumen, and insufficient blood supply to the tissues. The shift in the incidence of cardiovascular diseases to younger age groups is alarming. The presence of microvascular changes in the myocardium is significant. The high incidence of cardiovascular diseases, especially ischemic heart disease, requires early diagnosis and modern treatment. <i>Aim: </i>The aim of the paper is to analyse and point out early diagnosis of coronary heart disease using nuclear medicine methods. <i>Set of examined patients and methodology: </i>Using nuclear medicine methods, we try to detect these changes in time and thus prevent the occurrence of acute coronary events. In nuclear cardiology, instead of a large-area scintillation detector, a new type of cardio-gamma camera "Discovery CZT 530c" based on the principle of semiconductor detectors began to be used. The abbreviation CZT stands for semiconductor composition (Cadmium-Zinc-Tellur). The set of respondents consisted of 4270 people examined in the years 2014-2016 by myocardial perfusion scintigraphy. There were 950 diabetic patients in the analysed group of the 4270 examined. <i>Results:</i> In the analysed group of 4270 respondents, 61% had negative findings and 39% had positive findings in terms of the presence of ischemic heart disease. In the group of diabetic patients, there was a negative finding in 28% of respondents and a positive finding in 72% of the respondents in the sense of positive ischemic heart disease. Using myocardial perfusion scintigraphy in the diagnosis of functional changes, we confirmed a great benefit in detecting early changes in coronary heart disease, including in the diagnosis of microvascular angina. <i>Conclusion:</i> Nuclear medicine methods are of great benefit for the diagnosis of small vessel disease, diabetic cardiomyopathy and cardiac autonomic neuropathy in patients with diabetes mellitus. The new type of cardio gamma camera "Discovery CZT 530c" allows more accurate assessment of myocardial perfusion abnormalities and at the same time the reduction of the radiopharmaceutical dose reduces the patient's radiation load by 50%.