Thallium-201 myocardial scintigraphy: improved sensitivity, specificity and predictive accuracy by application of a statistical image analysis algorithm
Exercise and 3 hour delayed redistribution thallium-201 myocardial perfusion imaging was performed in 107 patients including 87 patients with documented coronary artery disease and 20 patients with normal coronary arteriograms. A computer algorithm for statistical analysis and redisplay of the analog scintillation data was developed to augment the visual analysis of the standard analog image. The basic algorithm identified the myocardial area (pixel) with the most absolute counts and developed an appropriate standard deviation range from a table. All pixels in the area of the myocardium containing absolute counts below three standard deviation ranges (or approximately 6 standard deviations) were deleted from the final image. The remaining pixels were redisplayed in a digitized bimodal format and the image photographed. Two experienced observers compared visual analysis of the analog image alone and the analog image in conjunction with the computer-analyzed image for sensitivity, specificity and predictive accuracy in the detection of perfusion defects in patients with coronary artery disease and in normal subjects. Sensitivity in patients with coronary artery disease for the analog scintillation image alone was 79 percent (69 of 87) and with computer analysis 95 percent (83 of 87). Specificity in the patients with no coronary disease was 100 percent (20 of 20) for both techniques. The predictive accuracy of the test was 83 percent (89 of 107) for the analog image alone and 96 percent (103 of 107) for the two images combined. It is concluded that use of a computer statistical analysis algorithm of thallium-201 analog myocardial perfusion images improves the accuracy of detection of perfusion defects in patients with coronary artery disease.
- Research Organization:
- Krannert Institute of Cardiology, Indianapolis, Indiana
- OSTI ID:
- 5176593
- Journal Information:
- Am. J. Cardiol.; (United States), Journal Name: Am. J. Cardiol.; (United States) Vol. 49:4; ISSN AJCDA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
ALGORITHMS
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BLOOD FLOW
BODY
CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM
COUNTING TECHNIQUES
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES
ELECTRON CAPTURE RADIOISOTOPES
EXERCISE
HEART
HEAVY NUCLEI
IMAGE PROCESSING
ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
MATHEMATICAL LOGIC
MATHEMATICS
MUSCLES
MYOCARDIUM
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
ORGANS
PATIENTS
PROCESSING
RADIOISOTOPE SCANNING
RADIOISOTOPES
SCINTISCANNING
SECONDS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
SENSITIVITY
SPECIFICITY
STATISTICS
THALLIUM 201
THALLIUM ISOTOPES