What if heart disease starts outside the heart? This research will study how to simultaneously assess brain and body physiology, how they are jointly related to heart function, and how their response to physical and mental stress differs in patients with heart disease.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Adults aged 18 years and older
• For patients with cardiovascular disease: Documented diagnosis of ischemic heart disease based on standard clinical, radiologic, and/or histopathologic criteria, as documented in the medical record; or a clinical nuclear cardiac stress PET test within 1 year.
• For healthy subjects: No diagnosis of cardiometabolic disease, cancer, or other major disease within the past 5 years

Exclusion Criteria:

• Contraindications to PET due to:

  1. Research-related radiation exposure exceeding current MGB Radiology Department guidelines (i.e., 50 mSv in the prior 12 months);
  2. Inability to lie comfortably on the bed inside the scanner;
  3. Body weight > 300 lbs (weight limit of the scanner table);
  4. Pregnancy or breastfeeding;

• Individuals with fasting plasma glucose level of >200 mg/dL;

• Claustrophobia

• Employed under the direct supervision of the PI conducting the research.