Myocardial perfusion imaging for preoperative risk stratification.

This review considers the changing nature of surgical risk assessment and the definition of risk; discusses the pathophysiology of perioperative myocardial infarction in relation to tests of coronary flow reserve; surveys the extensive literature on preoperative myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) and outlines key trends; presents practical points on image interpretation; addresses the needs of special populations; compares MPI with other modalities; and integrates recommendations from practice guidelines on the effective use of MPI in the preoperative patient.