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Title: Serial thallium-201 myocardial imaging after dipyridamole infusion: diagnostic utility in detecting coronary stenoses and relationship to regional wall motion

Journal Article · · Circulation; (United States)

After a 4-minute i.v. dipyridamole infusion, 0.14 mg/kg/min, serial thallium-201 scans were obtained in 60 patients undergoing cardia catheterization. Forty patients had significant (greater than or equal to50% stenosis) coronary artery disease (CAD), and 20 patients had normal coronary arteries or trivial lesions. The images were graded qualitatively for thallium activity by three observers. Sensitivity was 93% (37 of 40) and specificity was 80% (16 of 20). The sensitivity and specificity of the thallium-201 study were not affected by the extent of CAD, the presence of Q waves, or propranolol therapy. Twenty-seven of 37 patients who had initial defects (73%) had complete thallium redistribution of one or more defects. Patient-by-patient anlaysis using a regression model of all patients showed that the fate of a segmental thallium defect predicted abnormal wall motion by angiography better than ECG Q waves. The presence of propranolol therapy or collaterals did not significantly affect the thallium redistribution results. It is concluded that qualitative interpretation by multiple observers of thallium images after dipyridamole infusion is a highly sensitive and specific test for CAD. After dipyridamole, as with exercise stress, the extent of thallium redistribution is related to the degree of myocardial wall motion abnormality.

Research Organization:
Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
OSTI ID:
6148053
Journal Information:
Circulation; (United States), Vol. 66:3
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English