RAIT 350 - Nuclear Cardiology

5 CR

Covers all aspects of nuclear cardiology, including anatomy, physiology, pathology, electrocardiography, acquisition and processing of nuclear cardiology studies, stress testing (both exercise and pharmacologic), emergency care in the nuclear cardiology department, and correlative imaging. The course is designed to prepare students for the Nuclear Cardiology (NCT) examination. This course is intended to meet the degree requirements of the Technology and Nuclear Medicine concentrations of the Radiation & Imaging Sciences program.

Prerequisite(s): Admission into the Radiation & Imaging Sciences BAS program or permission of the Program Chair.

Course Outcomes

Discuss cardiac and myocardial anatomy and physiology in detail.
Analyze pathologies affecting the heart and their appearance on nuclear cardiology studies of all types.
Analyze electrocardiography tracings and identify abnormalities and artifacts.
Discuss the radiopharmaceuticals and acquisition and processing protocols for: myocardial perfusion imaging, viability studies, equilibrium radionuclide angiography, cardiac shunt studies, and cardiac PET studies.
Analyze nuclear cardiology studies of all types for artifacts and appropriate patient/study/equipment quality.
Evaluate the appropriateness of treadmill, bicycle, and pharmacologic stress testing methods in clinical situations, including expected physiologic effects and end points, appropriate uses, contraindications, and mechanisms of action of pharmacologic agents.
Discuss the effect of various cardiac drugs on cardiac function, and evaluate their use in specific situations.
Assess scenarios involving possible medical emergencies in the nuclear cardiology department, and discuss appropriate interventions, both physical (e.g., CPR) and pharmacologic (e.g., emergency medication administration).
Explain the diagnostic and prognostic benefits of nuclear cardiology procedures, as well as the risks involved, at both the level of a medical professional and at the level of a patient.
Analyze the appropriateness of various non-nuclear diagnostic cardiology procedures in relation to nuclear cardiology procedures.

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