Dipyridamole thallium 201 scintigraphy to detect coronary artery disease before abdominal aortic surgery

Journal Article · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1987 · J. Vasc. Surg.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0741-5214(87)90199-6· OSTI ID:6782438

Cutler, B S; Leppo, J A

Dipyridamole thallium 201 scintigraphy (DTS) was used to screen 116 consecutive patients referred for aortic reconstructive surgery for coronary artery disease (CAD). Thallium redistribution was found to have the best statistical correlation with postoperative myocardial infarction (MI). No MIs occurred after aortic operations among 60 patients with normal scans compared with 8 of 31 patients with abnormal ones. The odds of a patient with abnormalities found by DTS having a postoperative MI were 12 times greater than for those with a normal scan. No symptom or combination of symptoms of CAD was as good as an abnormal DTS in identifying patients at risk. The incidence of MI was 7.0% for patients with symptomatic CAD and 8.5% for those who were asymptomatic. Cardiac complications gradually declined as surgeons gained confidence in the use of DTS, to the point where no postoperative MIs occurred during the final year of the study. DTS approaches the ideal preoperative test for CAD in patients with peripheral vascular disease. The test does not require exercise, is minimally invasive, safe, and of sufficient sensitivity to detect myocardial ischemia in the absence of symptoms. Furthermore, it is cost-effective; only those patients with an abnormal scan and an imperative need for aortic surgical treatment need further cardiac evaluation.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Massachusetts Medical Center, Worcester
• OSTI ID: 6782438
• Journal Information: J. Vasc. Surg.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Vasc. Surg.; (United States) Vol. 1; ISSN JVSUE
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550601* -- Medicine-- Unsealed Radionuclides in Diagnostics
62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BODY
CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES
CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM
COUNTING TECHNIQUES
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
DIAGNOSIS
DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES
DISEASES
ELECTRON CAPTURE RADIOISOTOPES
HEART
HEAVY NUCLEI
ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
MEDICINE
MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
ORGANS
PATIENTS
RADIOISOTOPE SCANNING
RADIOISOTOPES
SCINTISCANNING
SECONDS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
SURGERY
THALLIUM 201
THALLIUM ISOTOPES