skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Transient ischemic dilation of the left ventricle on stress thallium-201 scintigraphy: a marker of severe and extensive coronary artery disease

Journal Article · · J. Am. Coll. Cardiol.; (United States)

On exercise thallium-201 scintigraphy, it has been noted that the size of the left ventricle is sometimes larger on the immediate poststress image than on the 4 hour redistribution image; this phenomenon has been termed transient ischemic dilation of the left ventricle. The angiographic correlates of this finding were assessed in 89 consecutive patients who underwent both stress-redistribution thallium-201 scintigraphy and coronary arteriography. A transient dilation ratio was determined by dividing the computer-derived left ventricular area of the immediate postexercise anterior image by the area of the 4 hour redistribution image. In patients with a normal coronary arteriogram or nonsignificant coronary stenoses (less than 50%), the transient dilation ratio was 1.02 +/- 0.05 and, therefore, an abnormal transient dilation ratio was defined as greater than 1.12 (mean + 2SD). The transient dilation ratio was insignificantly elevated in patients with noncritical coronary artery disease (50 to 89% stenosis) (1.05 +/- 0.05) and in patients with critical stenosis (greater than or equal to 90%) of only one coronary artery (1.05 +/- 0.05). In contrast, in patients with critical stenoses in two or three vessels, the transient dilation ratio was significantly elevated (1.12 +/- 0.08 and 1.17 +/- 0.09, respectively; compared with all other patient groups). An abnormal transient dilation ratio had a sensitivity of 60% and a specificity of 95% for identifying patients with multivessel critical stenosis and was more specific than were other known markers of severe and extensive coronary artery disease, such as the presence of multiple perfusion defects or washout abnormalities, or both.

Research Organization:
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA
OSTI ID:
6525034
Journal Information:
J. Am. Coll. Cardiol.; (United States), Vol. 4
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English