[Cardiac tomographic studies for the risk assessment in coronary artery disease].

Cardiac imaging studies provide clinically important prognostic information for cardiovascular events risk stratification. Starting with diagnostics they are most valuable in patients with intermediate clinical risk. Myocardial perfusion scintigraphy (SPECT) may serve to assess the cardiovascular risk, documents the size and severity of ischaemia. Additionally gated SPECT gives substantial information about the left ventricular function. Combining the clinical scintigraphic and functional analysis seems to determine the cardiovascular risk in the most impartial way. The calcium score in multislice spiral computed tomography detecting the early stages of the coronary artery disease may provide incremental prognostic information in the specific subgroups of patients. The magnetic resonance tomography seems to be the most accurate method for diagnosing the myocardial viability.