Impact of thallium-201 imaging on clinical assessment and management of patients with chest pain
The histories, rest, and exercise ECG results of 60 patients without myocardial infarction complaining of chest pain were submitted to 6 physicians (3 cardiologists and 3 noncardiologists) who were unaware of the angiographic findings. The physicians were requested to estimate the probability of coronary artery disease present in percentages and to assess the need for coronary angiography on a five-point scale (1 . definitely not indicated, 5 . definitely indicated). After obtaining the results of thallium-201 imaging following dipyridamole (0.50 mg/kg intravenously) administration, the physicians were again requested to estimate probability and need for angiography. In the 43 patients with coronary artery disease the judgment of probability was increased significantly after /sup 201/Tl from 75.6 +/- 20.2% to 82.9 +/- 23.2% (p less than 0.001) and the need for angiography from 4.3 +/- 0.9% to 4.5 +/- 0.9% (p less than 0.001). In the subgroup of patients with atypical angina the relative change in probability was higher than in other subgroups of patients with coronary artery disease. In the 17 patients with normal coronary arteries the probability estimation fell after /sup 201/Tl from 36.7 +/- 22.0% to 24.8 +/- 21.0% (p less than 0.001), the need for angiography was decreased from 2.7 +/- 1.1% to 2.2 +/- 1.2% (p less than 0.001). With the /sup 201/Tl information, cardiologists performed a better diagnostic differentiation of patients with and without coronary artery disease than noncardiologists. The study demonstrates the improvement of clinical diagnosis in patients with chest pain by thallium-201 imaging and confirms the favorable influence of the method on the management of the patients in terms of indications for coronary angiography.
- Research Organization:
- Univ. of Vienna, Austria
- OSTI ID:
- 5860887
- Journal Information:
- Clin. Cardiol.; (United States), Journal Name: Clin. Cardiol.; (United States) Vol. 7:12; ISSN CLCAD
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
The independent value of exercise thallium scintigraphy to physicians
Diagnostic test use in different practice settings. A controlled comparison
Related Subjects
62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
ARTERIES
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BIOMEDICAL RADIOGRAPHY
BLOOD VESSELS
BODY
BODY AREAS
CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES
CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM
CHEST
CORONARIES
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
DIAGNOSIS
DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES
DISEASES
ELECTRON CAPTURE RADIOISOTOPES
HEAVY NUCLEI
ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
ISOTOPES
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
MEDICINE
MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION
NUCLEAR MEDICINE
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
ORGANS
PATIENTS
PROBABILITY
RADIOISOTOPES
RADIOLOGY
SECONDS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
SYMPTOMS
THALLIUM 201
THALLIUM ISOTOPES
TRACER TECHNIQUES