Advanced Cardiac PET-CT Imaging with Flyrcado™
Tower Saint John’s Imaging offers one of the most advanced cardiac imaging services available—Cardiac PET-CT with Flyrcado™, a powerful tool for diagnosing coronary artery disease (CAD) with exceptional speed, accuracy, and minimal radiation exposure.
What Is Cardiac PET-CT?
A Cardiac PET-CT scanner combines positron emission tomography (PET) with computed tomography (CT) and includes specialized software and hardware to image the heart. It is designed to evaluate patients with suspected coronary artery disease, offering higher accuracy than traditional tests like stress SPECT or stress echocardiograms.
Benefits of Cardiac PET-CT
- Recommended by top nuclear cardiology societies as a first-line test for suspected CAD
- Covered by Medicare and many major insurance providers
- 30-minute scan vs. 4-5 hours for traditional SPECT testing
- Significantly lower radiation dose than SPECT—up to 90% less
- Negative predictive value of high 90s, far superior to mid-70s with SPECT
Tower Imaging is one of the few facilities in Southern California offering 3D PET-CT with Coronary Flow Reserve (CFR) for more precise assessment.
Flyrcado™—Next-Generation Myocardial Perfusion Imaging (MPI)
Tower Saint John’s Imaging is proud to be the first center in the Western U.S. to offer Flyrcado™ (flurpiridaz F 18), an FDA-approved radiopharmaceutical for PET MPI. Flyrcado™ delivers sharper images, better diagnostic confidence, and lower radiation exposure than traditional SPECT or Rb-82 PET MPI.
How Flyrcado™ Works
Flyrcado™ is absorbed by healthy heart muscle in proportion to blood flow. Reduced uptake indicates compromised blood supply—helping to pinpoint CAD with high accuracy. The scan captures both rest and stress states for a comprehensive cardiac evaluation.
Why Choose Flyrcado™ PET Over Traditional MPI?
- Higher resolution images with fewer artifacts
- Effective for all patients, including those with high BMI or prior inconclusive results
- Fewer repeat scans due to extended tracer half-life
- Shorter overall scan time and better diagnostic outcomes
What to Expect During the Exam
The PET MPI exam takes about 60 minutes. Patients must avoid caffeine and smoking for 24 hours and fast for 4 hours prior. An IV injection of Flyrcado™ is administered during both rest and stress phases, followed by imaging using our advanced cardiac-enabled PET/CT system. Most patients can resume normal activities immediately after.
When Is Cardiac PET-CT Recommended?
This exam may be recommended if you:
- Have symptoms like chest pain or shortness of breath
- Have known or suspected coronary artery disease
- Need cardiac risk evaluation before surgery
- Require clearer imaging due to body composition or past inconclusive tests
Insurance Coverage
Medicare covers Rubidium PET-CT as a first-line exam for evaluating CAD risk and as a follow-up to inconclusive SPECT tests. Most private insurers also cover this test. Our team can assist with pre-authorizations as needed.
Why Choose Tower Saint John’s Imaging?
Our facility was part of the pivotal Phase III clinical trial for Flyrcado™ and remains the first outpatient imaging center in the Western U.S. to offer it commercially. All studies are interpreted by board-certified radiologists with subspecialty training in cardiovascular imaging.
Location: 2202 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90403
Call to Schedule: 310.264.9000
Book Online: Request your appointment here