Heart attack, SPECT scan

Credit: ISM/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

Caption: Heart attack. Coloured single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) scan of axial (horizontal) slices at various levels in the heart during a heart attack (myocardial infarction). The scan shows areas well-supplied with blood in orange/blue/red, with green showing decreased amounts of blood supply. The row of scans across centre would normally show the wall of the heart forming a ring. The gap is where part of the heart muscle is dying due to lack of blood. This is usually caused by fatty deposits or a blood clot blocking the coronary arteries. SPECT scanning uses the radioactive tracer technetium-99m (Tc- 99m), which emits gamma ray photons, to examine the blood supply to organs like the brain and the heart.

Release details: Model release not required. Property release not required.

Keywords: adult, cardiac, cardiology, cardiovascular, circulatory system, coloured, computed tomography, condition, ct scan, diagnosis, diagnostic, disorder, false-coloured, gamma scan, healthcare, heart, heart attack, human body, medical, medicine, myocardial infarction, nuclear medicine, radioactive, scanner, scintigraphy, single photon emission, spect scan, tc-99m, technetium, tracer, vascular system

Licence fees: A licence fee will be charged for any media (low or high resolution) used in your project.