How long after the initiation of adenosine infusion should peak effects be noted?

The peak effects of adenosine infusion typically occur around three minutes after initiation. Adenosine is used in various medical applications, including as a pharmacological stress agent during perfusion imaging with PET to evaluate myocardial blood flow and stress in cardiac assessments.

At about three minutes, the pharmacokinetics of adenosine allow for maximum vasodilation of coronary arteries, leading to increased blood flow and enhanced distribution of the radiopharmaceutical used in imaging. This time frame is crucial for achieving optimal imaging results and assessing the myocardial response accurately.

Understanding this peak timing is important for technologists and radiologists when scheduling and conducting PET scans, as it allows them to optimize imaging windows and ensure that the physiological responses of the heart to the stress agent are fully captured.