Quantitative analysis of dipyridamole-thallium images for the detection of coronary artery disease

To determine if the detection of coronary artery disease by dipyridamole-thallium imaging is improved by 1) quantitative versus qualitative analysis, and 2) combining quantitative variables, 80 patients with chest pain (53 with and 27 without coronary artery disease) who underwent cardiac catheterization were studied. Segmental thallium initial uptake, linear clearance, mono-exponential clearance and redistribution were measured from early, intermediate and delayed images acquired in three projections. Normal values were determined from 13 other clinically normal subjects.When five segments per view were used for quantitative analysis, sensitivity and specificity were 87 and 63%, respectively, for uptake, 77 and 67% for linear clearance, 60 and 60% for monoexponential clearance and 62 and 56% for redistribution. Of the four variables, uptake and linear clearance were the most sensitive (p < 0.01) and specificity did not differ significantly. Using three segments per view, the specificity of uptake increased (p < 0.05) to 78% without a significant change in sensitivity (85%). With this approach, sensitivity and specificity did not differ from those of qualitative analysis (85 and 78%, respectively).Stepwise logistic regression analysis demonstrated that the best quantitative thallium correlate of the presence of coronary artery disease was a combination variable of “either abnormal uptake or abnormal linear clearance, or both.” Using five segments per view, the model's specificity (85%) was greater than that of uptake alone (p < 0.02), with similar sensitivity (92%). Using three segments per view, the model's specificity (93%) was greater than that of uptake alone (p < 0.05) and of qualitative analysis (p < 0.05), with similar sensitivity (85%). Compared with qualitative analysis, the diagnostic accuracy of the model was greater using either five segments (90 versus 82%, p < 0.01) or three segments (88 versus 82%, p < 0.05) per view.Quantitative analysis of dipyridamole-thallium images using single individual variables provides results comparable with those of qualitative analysis and this can be further optimized when a combination of quantitative variables is used

Acquisition, processing and display of gated cardiac scintigrams

An improved method for non-traumatic and essentially noninvasive evaluation of left ventricular (LV) function with /sup 99m/Tc as the tracer was developed. This method combines previously used EKG gating techniques for cardiac blood pool visualization with new computerized acquisition, processing and display techniques. An Anger camera, a small computer, and a physiological synchronizer are used to acquire a sequence of eight scintigrams which span the entire cardiac cycle. Under our present protocol two twenty-minute sequences are obtained, one an LAO (50$sup 0$) projection, the other an RAO (30$sup 0$) projection. Subsequently these images are processed on-line with a digital filter to increase definition of the cardiac borders. The eight images are then displayed sequentially on a specially designed electronic monitor to give an impression of the beating heart somewhat analogous to that obtained with invasive contrast angiography. (auth

Insights from the STICH trial: Change in left ventricular size after coronary artery bypass grafting with and without surgical ventricular reconstruction

ObjectiveThe present analysis of the Surgical Treatment for Ischemic Heart Failure randomized trial data examined the left ventricular volumes at baseline and 4 months after surgery to determine whether any magnitude of postoperative reduction in end-systolic volume affected survival after coronary artery bypass grafting alone compared with bypass grafting plus surgical ventricular reconstruction.MethodsOf the 1000 patients randomized, 555 underwent an operation and had a paired imaging assessment with the same modality at baseline and 4 months postoperatively. Of the remaining 455 patients, 424 either died before the 4-month study or did not have paired imaging tests and were excluded, and 21 were not considered because they had died before surgery or did not receive surgery.ResultsSurgical ventricular reconstruction resulted in improved survival compared with coronary artery bypass grafting alone when the postoperative end-systolic volume index was 70 mL/m2 or less. However, the opposite was true for patients achieving a postoperative volume index greater than 70 mL/m2. A reduction in the end-systolic volume index of 30% or more compared with baseline was an infrequent event in both treatment groups and did not produce a statistically significant survival benefit with ventricular reconstruction.ConclusionsIn patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting plus surgical ventricular reconstruction, a survival benefit was realized compared with bypass alone, with the achievement of a postoperative end-systolic volume index of 70 mL/m2 or less. Extensive ventricular remodeling at baseline might limit the ability of ventricular reconstruction to achieve a sufficient reduction in volume and clinical benefit