Cost-effectiveness of imaging modalities in coronary heart disease: A comprehensive review.

Source: PubMed, NCBI / U.S. National Library of Medicine

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remain among the leading causes of both health and economic burdens worldwide. Myocardial Perfusion Imaging (MPI) performed using Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) or, more recently, Positron Emission Tomography (PET), has long served as a cornerstone in the diagnosis and management of coronary heart disease (CHD). However, rising healthcare costs and rapidly advancing imaging technologies have prompted re-evaluation of nuclear cardiology's cost-effectiveness, making careful selection of imaging modalities essential. In this review, an economic evaluation of imaging in CHD has been undertaken, summarizing the most relevant studies on the cost-effectiveness of various imaging modalities. The heterogeneity in data - largely related to institutional resources, operator expertise, clinical setting (inpatient vs. outpatient), healthcare system, and reimbursement structure - does not yet allow definitive conclusions on the cost-effectiveness of each individual modality. Therefore, a well-structured multimodality imaging approach appears to provide greater diagnostic and economic value, offering both improved clinical outcomes and more efficient resource utilization.