Thallium-201 myocardial imaging during pharmacologic coronary vasodilation: comparison of oral and intravenous administration of dipyridamole

Journal Article · Tue Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1986 · J. Am. Coll. Cardiol.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/S0735-1097(86)80094-8· OSTI ID:5232725

Taillefer, R; Lette, J; Phaneuf, D C; Leveille, J; Lemire, F; Essiambre, R

Although the diagnostic utility of thallium-201 myocardial imaging after dipyridamole infusion is well established, the intravenous form of the drug is not yet commercially available in North America. Fifty patients referred for coronary angiography were prospectively studied. Within a 2 week period, each patient underwent cardiac catheterization and thallium-201 myocardial imaging after both oral and intravenous dipyridamole administration. For the oral protocol, patients were randomly assigned to treatment with either 200 or 400 mg of dipyridamole in tablet form. Coronary artery stenoses of 70% or greater were considered significant. For the 25 patients who received a 200 mg oral dose of dipyridamole, the scintigraphic study showed perfusion defects in 65% of patients with significant coronary artery disease after the oral dose and in 85% of patients after the intravenous dose. For the 25 patients who received a 400 mg oral dose, the sensitivity of the scintigram was 84% after the oral dose and 79% after the intravenous dose. Except for headache and nausea, side effects were less severe and less frequent with oral (either 200 or 400 mg) than with intravenous dipyridamole. Because of the delayed and variable absorption of dipyridamole tablets, the oral studies required a longer period of medical supervision (45 to 60 minutes), and aminophylline was empirically administered after completion of the first set of thallium-201 images. It is concluded from this study that thallium-201 myocardial imaging after coronary vasodilation with a 400 mg oral dose of dipyridamole is a safe, widely available and reliable alternative for the evaluation of coronary artery disease in patients unable to achieve an adequate exercise level on stress testing.

• Research Organization: Hopital Hotel-Dieu de Montreal, Quebec
• OSTI ID: 5232725
• Journal Information: J. Am. Coll. Cardiol.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Am. Coll. Cardiol.; (United States) Vol. 1; ISSN JACCD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550601* -- Medicine-- Unsealed Radionuclides in Diagnostics
62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
ARTERIES
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BLOOD VESSELS
BODY
CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES
CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
CORONARIES
COUNTING TECHNIQUES
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES
DISEASES
DRUGS
ELECTRON CAPTURE RADIOISOTOPES
HEART
HEAVY NUCLEI
INJECTION
INTAKE
INTRAVENOUS INJECTION
ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
ORAL ADMINISTRATION
ORGANS
PATIENTS
RADIOISOTOPE SCANNING
RADIOISOTOPES
SCINTISCANNING
SECONDS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
SIDE EFFECTS
THALLIUM 201
THALLIUM ISOTOPES
VASODILATION