Metabolic syndrome represents a growing burden in the Mexican population with an increasing presence as evidenced by the most recent epidemiological data, showing a prevalence of 49.8 % in 2006. The ...cardiovascular hazard of metabolic syndrome has been proven in numerous occasions; these patients present an increased risk of cardiovascular disease not only because of epicardial coronary occlusion but also from microvascular disease secondary to endothelial dysfunction. Myocardial perfusion imaging using both single-photon emission computed tomography and positron emission tomography can be effectively used for the evaluation of established coronary artery disease as well as in the assessment of high-risk asymptomatic patients. In this review, we briefly discuss the role of myocardial perfusion imaging studies and its current and potential applications for patients with metabolic syndrome.
