Roland Itti

Myocardial Perfusion Imaging With 99mTc Tetrofosmin Comparison to 201Tl Imaging and Coronary Angiography in a Phase III Multicenter Trial

Background Our objective was to compare the sensitivity and specificity of tetrofosmin, a new 99m Tc-labeled myocardial perfusion imaging agent for the detection of myocardial perfusion abnormalities, with those of 201 Tl and coronary angiography. Our hypothesis was that same-day stress/rest tetrofosmin imaging could provide data comparable to those of 201 Tl imaging. Myocardial perfusion imaging plays an important role for the evaluation of coronary artery disease. Newer 99m Tc-labeled agents offer several advantages over 201 Tl, the conventional myocardial perfusion imaging agent. Tetrofosmin is a new 99m Tc-labeled agent with promising results in preliminary studies. Methods and Results Two hundred fifty-two patients with suspected coronary artery disease were enrolled in 10 centers in the United States and Europe. All patients underwent exercise and rest myocardial perfusion imaging with 99m Tc-tetrofosmin using two separate injections of the radiotracer 4 hours apart on the same day. Planar images were obtained in three standard views 15 to 60 minutes after radiotracer injection. Patients also underwent standard exercise and redistribution planar 201 Tl imaging within 2 weeks of tetrofosmin imaging. In addition, 58 healthy subjects with low likelihood of coronary artery disease underwent exercise and rest tetrofosmin imaging. Coronary angiograms were available in 181 patients with suspected coronary artery disease. All radionuclide images were processed in the central core laboratory and interpreted blindly by a panel of four experienced readers. 201 Tl images and tetrofosmin images were read separately. Discrepancies were resolved by consensus. The workload, peak heart rate, and double products were comparable during exercise for both imaging agents. Technically acceptable paired 201 Tl and tetrofosmin images were available in 224 of 252 patients. Tetrofosmin images were generally of good quality, with low extracardiac activity, and easy to interpret. Patients were categorized as showing normal, ischemia, infarction, or mixture with each imaging modality. Precise concordance for each of these categories was 59.4% (κ=0.44; 95% CI, 0.35 to 0.53). When patients were categorized as normal or abnormal, the concordance was 80.4% (κ=0.55; 95% CI, 0.43 to 0.67). When each of five anatomic territories (septal, anterior, inferior, lateral, and apical) was categorized as normal versus abnormal, the concordance varied from 81% to 90%. When similar comparison was made for the specific category of abnormality, the concordance was 64% to 84%. When coronary angiography was used as the criterion, the sensitivity and positive and negative predictive accuracy of tetrofosmin and 201 Tl were comparable. The normalcy rate of tetrofosmin images in the healthy subjects with low likelihood of coronary artery disease was 97%. Conclusions 99m Tc tetrofosmin is a new myocardial imaging agent with favorable imaging characteristics with results comparable to those of 201 Tl.Background Our objective was to compare the sensitivity and specificity of tetrofosmin, a new 99m Tc-labeled myocardial perfusion imaging agent for the detection of myocardial perfusion abnormalities, with those of 201 Tl and coronary angiography. Our hypothesis was that same-day stress/rest tetrofosmin imaging could provide data comparable to those of 201 Tl imaging. Myocardial perfusion imaging plays an important role for the evaluation of coronary artery disease. Newer 99m Tc-labeled agents offer several advantages over 201 Tl, the conventional myocardial perfusion imaging agent. Tetrofosmin is a new 99m Tc-labeled agent with promising results in preliminary studies. Methods and Results Two hundred fifty-two patients with suspected coronary artery disease were enrolled in 10 centers in the United States and Europe. All patients underwent exercise and rest myocardial perfusion imaging with 99m Tc-tetrofosmin using two separate injections of the radiotracer 4 hours apart on the same day. Planar images were obtained in three standard views 15 to 60 minutes after radiotracer injection. Patients also underwent standard exercise and redistribution planar 201 Tl imaging within 2 weeks of tetrofosmin imaging. In addition, 58 healthy subjects with low likelihood of coronary artery disease underwent exercise and rest tetrofosmin imaging. Coronary angiograms were available in 181 patients with suspected coronary artery disease. All radionuclide images were processed in the central core laboratory and interpreted blindly by a panel of four experienced readers. 201 Tl images and tetrofosmin images were read separately. Discrepancies were resolved by consensus. The workload, peak heart rate, and double products were comparable during exercise for both imaging agents. Technically acceptable paired 201 Tl and tetrofosmin images were available in 224 of 252 patients. Tetrofosmin images were generally of good quality, with low extracardiac activity, and easy to interpret. Patients were categorized as showing normal, ischemia, infarction, or mixture with each imaging modality. Precise concordance for each of these categories was 59.4% (κ=0.44; 95% CI, 0.35 to 0.53). When patients were categorized as normal or abnormal, the concordance was 80.4% (κ=0.55; 95% CI, 0.43 to 0.67). When each of five anatomic territories (septal, anterior, inferior, lateral, and apical) was categorized as normal versus abnormal, the concordance varied from 81% to 90%. When similar comparison was made for the specific category of abnormality, the concordance was 64% to 84%. When coronary angiography was used as the criterion, the sensitivity and positive and negative predictive accuracy of tetrofosmin and 201 Tl were comparable. The normalcy rate of tetrofosmin images in the healthy subjects with low likelihood of coronary artery disease was 97%. Conclusions 99m Tc tetrofosmin is a new myocardial imaging agent with favorable imaging characteristics with results comparable to those of 201 Tl.

Comparison of myocardial perfusion imaging with technetium-99m tetrofosmin versus thallium-201 in coronary artery disease

Technetium-99m (Tc-99m) tetrofosmin, a new myocardial perfusion imaging agent, was evaluated at exercise and rest in 50 patients with documented coronary artery disease to determine myocardial kinetics, redistribution and ideal imaging time. Planar imaging was performed at 5, 30, 60, 90, 120 and 240 minutes after an injection of Tc-99m tetrofosmin (8 to 10 mCi) at peak graded ergometric exercise. Reinjection (24 to 30 mCi) was performed at rest, 4 hours after the stress injection and also on a separate day, and imaging was repeated. All patients underwent thallium-201 (Tl-201) exercise and redistribution (4-hour) imaging. Perfusion defect to normal, and heart to lung ratios were calculated for exercise Tc-99m tetrofosmin images at each time point. The mean +/- SD defect to normal ratios were 0.75 +/- 0.10, 0.75 +/- 0.10, 0.74 +/- 0.09, 0.73 +/- 0.10, 0.73 +/- 0.10 and 0.72 +/- 0.10 at 5, 30, 60, 90, 120 and 240 minutes, respectively (p = NS), suggesting absence of redistribution. There was a significant increase in lung uptake of Tl-201 during exercise (p < 0.05), but not with Tc-99m tetrofosmin (p = NS). Washout of Tc-99m tetrofosmin was calculated in a subset of patients (n = 23). Rapid background clearance enabled postexercise diagnostic imaging as early as 5 minutes after injection. Myocardial retention curves after rest injection suggested that the optimal time for imaging was approximately 30 minutes later. Slow myocardial washout (4%/hour after exercise and 0.6%/hour after rest injection) enabled diagnostic images to be obtained up to 4 hours after each study.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Myocardial Perfusion Imaging With 99mTc Tetrofosmin

Background Our objective was to compare the sensitivity and specificity of tetrofosmin, a new 99m Tc-labeled myocardial perfusion imaging agent for the detection of myocardial perfusion abnormalities, with those of 201 Tl and coronary angiography. Our hypothesis was that same-day stress/rest tetrofosmin imaging could provide data comparable to those of 201 Tl imaging. Myocardial perfusion imaging plays an important role for the evaluation of coronary artery disease. Newer 99m Tc-labeled agents offer several advantages over 201 Tl, the conventional myocardial perfusion imaging agent. Tetrofosmin is a new 99m Tc-labeled agent with promising results in preliminary studies. Methods and Results Two hundred fifty-two patients with suspected coronary artery disease were enrolled in 10 centers in the United States and Europe. All patients underwent exercise and rest myocardial perfusion imaging with 99m Tc-tetrofosmin using two separate injections of the radiotracer 4 hours apart on the same day. Planar images were obtained in three standard views 15 to 60 minutes after radiotracer injection. Patients also underwent standard exercise and redistribution planar 201 Tl imaging within 2 weeks of tetrofosmin imaging. In addition, 58 healthy subjects with low likelihood of coronary artery disease underwent exercise and rest tetrofosmin imaging. Coronary angiograms were available in 181 patients with suspected coronary artery disease. All radionuclide images were processed in the central core laboratory and interpreted blindly by a panel of four experienced readers. 201 Tl images and tetrofosmin images were read separately. Discrepancies were resolved by consensus. The workload, peak heart rate, and double products were comparable during exercise for both imaging agents. Technically acceptable paired 201 Tl and tetrofosmin images were available in 224 of 252 patients. Tetrofosmin images were generally of good quality, with low extracardiac activity, and easy to interpret. Patients were categorized as showing normal, ischemia, infarction, or mixture with each imaging modality. Precise concordance for each of these categories was 59.4% (κ=0.44; 95% CI, 0.35 to 0.53). When patients were categorized as normal or abnormal, the concordance was 80.4% (κ=0.55; 95% CI, 0.43 to 0.67). When each of five anatomic territories (septal, anterior, inferior, lateral, and apical) was categorized as normal versus abnormal, the concordance varied from 81% to 90%. When similar comparison was made for the specific category of abnormality, the concordance was 64% to 84%. When coronary angiography was used as the criterion, the sensitivity and positive and negative predictive accuracy of tetrofosmin and 201 Tl were comparable. The normalcy rate of tetrofosmin images in the healthy subjects with low likelihood of coronary artery disease was 97%. Conclusions 99m Tc tetrofosmin is a new myocardial imaging agent with favorable imaging characteristics with results comparable to those of 201 Tl.Background Our objective was to compare the sensitivity and specificity of tetrofosmin, a new 99m Tc-labeled myocardial perfusion imaging agent for the detection of myocardial perfusion abnormalities, with those of 201 Tl and coronary angiography. Our hypothesis was that same-day stress/rest tetrofosmin imaging could provide data comparable to those of 201 Tl imaging. Myocardial perfusion imaging plays an important role for the evaluation of coronary artery disease. Newer 99m Tc-labeled agents offer several advantages over 201 Tl, the conventional myocardial perfusion imaging agent. Tetrofosmin is a new 99m Tc-labeled agent with promising results in preliminary studies. Methods and Results Two hundred fifty-two patients with suspected coronary artery disease were enrolled in 10 centers in the United States and Europe. All patients underwent exercise and rest myocardial perfusion imaging with 99m Tc-tetrofosmin using two separate injections of the radiotracer 4 hours apart on the same day. Planar images were obtained in three standard views 15 to 60 minutes after radiotracer injection. Patients also underwent standard exercise and redistribution planar 201 Tl imaging within 2 weeks of tetrofosmin imaging. In addition, 58 healthy subjects with low likelihood of coronary artery disease underwent exercise and rest tetrofosmin imaging. Coronary angiograms were available in 181 patients with suspected coronary artery disease. All radionuclide images were processed in the central core laboratory and interpreted blindly by a panel of four experienced readers. 201 Tl images and tetrofosmin images were read separately. Discrepancies were resolved by consensus. The workload, peak heart rate, and double products were comparable during exercise for both imaging agents. Technically acceptable paired 201 Tl and tetrofosmin images were available in 224 of 252 patients. Tetrofosmin images were generally of good quality, with low extracardiac activity, and easy to interpret. Patients were categorized as showing normal, ischemia, infarction, or mixture with each imaging modality. Precise concordance for each of these categories was 59.4% (κ=0.44; 95% CI, 0.35 to 0.53). When patients were categorized as normal or abnormal, the concordance was 80.4% (κ=0.55; 95% CI, 0.43 to 0.67). When each of five anatomic territories (septal, anterior, inferior, lateral, and apical) was categorized as normal versus abnormal, the concordance varied from 81% to 90%. When similar comparison was made for the specific category of abnormality, the concordance was 64% to 84%. When coronary angiography was used as the criterion, the sensitivity and positive and negative predictive accuracy of tetrofosmin and 201 Tl were comparable. The normalcy rate of tetrofosmin images in the healthy subjects with low likelihood of coronary artery disease was 97%. Conclusions 99m Tc tetrofosmin is a new myocardial imaging agent with favorable imaging characteristics with results comparable to those of 201 Tl.

Myocardial single-photon emission computed tomographic imaging with technetium 99m tetrofosmin: stress-rest imaging with same-day and separate-day rest imaging.

BackgroundTechnetium 99m tetrofosmin is a new ethylene diphosphine ligand for myocardial perfusion imaging and has unique properties. We have compared stress-rest single-photon emission computed tomographic (SPECT) imaging with99mTc tetrofosmin with same-day and separate-day rest imaging to detect myocardial perfusion defects.Methods and ResultsMyocardial SPECT imaging was performed in 22 patients with coronary artery disease who had undergone planar thallium 201 imaging and coronary angiography. Single-day (stress-rest) and separate-day rest99mTc tetrofosmin SPECT protocols were compared in the same patient. Images were assessed by a blinded panel to identify myocardial infarction, ischemia, or normal scans. Overall sensitivity for identification of patients with coronary artery disease was 86% (19/22) by both same-day stress-rest and separate-day rest protocols with99mTc tetrofosmin (p=NS). Of a total of 396 segments studied, 107 abnormal segments were identified at exercise and 76 and 81 at the same-day and separate-day rest tests, respectively (p=NS). Same-day stress-rest and separate-day rest99mTc tetrofosmin SPECT protocols were also useful for detecting individual coronary stenosis with a greater than 50% lesion: 80% of the left anterior descending, 93% of the right coronary, and 75% of the left circumflex coronary arteries were detected.ConclusionExcellent images were obtained with99mTc tetrofosmin during both stress and rest.99mTc tetrofosmin imaging with the same-day stress-rest and separate-day rest imaging protocols have similar diagnostic sensitivities for detection of coronary heart disease.

Quantification of Ventricular Resynchronization Reserve by Radionuclide Phase Analysis in Heart Failure Patients: A Prospective Long-Term Study

Background—Phase analysis, developed to assess dyssynchrony from ECG-gated radionuclide ventriculography, has shown promising results. We hypothesized that quantifying the cardiac resynchronization reserve, that is, the extent of response to cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT), by radionuclide imaging could potentially identify patients who are best suited for CRT. Methods and Results—Seventy-four patients ages 64.8±10.1 years were prospectively studied from July 2004 to July 2006, of whom 62.2% and 37.8%, respectively, were in New York Heart Association class 3 and 4. Mean QRS width was 173±25 ms. ECG-gated radionuclide ventriculography to quantify interventricular and intraventricular dyssynchrony was performed at baseline with and without CRT and at the 3-month follow-up visit. Amino-terminal-pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-pro-BNP) levels were also determined at baseline and at 3 months. During a mean follow-up of 10.1±7.6 months, there were 37 (50%) clinical events that defined the nonresponder group, including cardiac death or readmission for worsening heart failure. In multivariate Cox model analysis, higher NT-pro-BNP blood levels were associated with a significant increase in the risk for event (hazard ratio=1.085 for a 100 pg/L increase in NT-pro-BNP; 95% confidence interval, 1.014 to 1.161). Each 10° elevation in intraventricular dyssynchrony was associated with a decrease in the risk of events (hazard ratio=0.456, 95% confidence interval, 0.304 to 0.683). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis demonstrated that an interventricular dyssynchrony cutoff value of 25.5° for intraventricular synchrony yielded 91.4% sensitivity and 84.4% specificity for predicting a good response to CRT. Conclusions—The quantification of interventricular dyssynchrony with radionuclide phase analysis suggests that early postimplantation interventricular dyssynchrony may provide identification of CRT responders.

In vivo measurement of myocardial oxidative metabolism and blood flow does not show changes in cancer patients undergoing doxorubicin therapy

Purpose: The aim was to investigate in patients receiving doxorubicin whether any alteration in myocardial oxidative metabolism or blood flow as assessed by positron emission tomography (PET) could be observed either after the first dose of the drug, or during its chronic administration. Methods: Six female non-heart-failure cancer patients treated with doxorubicin were included in a longitudinal study. Resting radionuclide cineangiography and PET scanning with carbon-11 acetate were performed the day before the initiation of doxorubicin treatment at a dosage of 50 mg/m2 every 3 weeks, and 3 weeks after the cumulative administration of 300 mg/m2 (chronic toxicity). In addition, PET was performed 24 h after the first administration of doxorubicin (evaluation of acute toxicity). Myocardial oxidative metabolism and blood flow were assessed by PET (acute and chronic toxicity), and left ventricular ejection fraction was measured by radionuclide angiography (chronic toxicity). Results: Using PET for both acute and chronic toxicity evaluations, no significant effect of doxorubicin was observed either on the flux through the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle or on myocardial blood flow. However, systolic left ventricular function showed a small but significant impairment after the administration of 300 mg/m2 of doxorubicin. Conclusions: Other hypotheses should be explored to better explain the predominant mechanisms of the cardiotoxicity of anthracyclines in humans.

Two-year assessment by exercise Thallium scintigraphy of myocardial revascularization using bilateral internal mammary and gastroepiploic arteries

OBJECTIVE To assess the blood flow supply offered to the myocardium by surgical revascularization using bilateral internal mammary (IMAs) and gastroepiploic (GEA) arteries. METHODS Two-year assessment by exercise thallium myocardial scintigraphy without medical treatment was performed in 122 patients (mean age 61 +/- 9 years) who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) with exclusive use of IMAs and GEA. Usually, the right IMA was used to bypass the left anterior descending coronary artery, and the left IMA to bypass the diagonal and the marginal arteries as a sequential graft if required. The GEA was used to bypass the right coronary artery (RCA) in 50 patients and its posterior branches in 72 patients. RESULTS During maximal or submaximal exercise stress testing, 119 patients (98%) were asymptomatic and 26 patients (21%) exhibited moderate ischemic ECG modifications which were correlated (P < 0.01) with incomplete revascularization and with the use of GEA to bypass the RCA. A third of patients had moderate ischemic thallium defects on exercise reversible after redistribution (anterior, 10; lateral, 2; inferior, 28). Silent residual myocardial ischemia detected by thallium scintigraphy was correlated (P < 0.001) with ECG modifications and incomplete revascularization; and inferior thallium defects were more frequent when GEA bypassed the RCA (P < 0.05). However, 26% of patients had residual ischemia despite a complete revascularization, and in at least 18% of cases for GEA and 8% for right IMA, arterial graft blood flow was insufficient at maximum exercise level and caused silent residual myocardial ischemia detected by thallium scintigraphy. CONCLUSIONS Myocardial revascularization using bilateral IMAs and GEA offers a satisfactory myocardial perfusion in the majority of cases; however silent residual myocardial ischemia was detected in a third of patients and was related to incomplete revascularization and to insufficient blood flow supply probably due to small diameter of the arterial grafts.

Theoretical model for myocardial functional characterization: Application to a group of patients evaluated before and after surgical revascularization

BackgroundThe functional improvements resulting from coronary revascularization (CABG) in patients with depressed ventricular function may be described by the use of a model combining global or local quantification of myocardial perfusion, viability, and contraction. An illustration of this model, with data provided by conventional radionuclide studies as they are performed routinely in many centers, is presented and the limitations of this approach for predicting the results of CABG are discussed.Methods and ResultsThe model is based on three independent variables, which can be approximated in this preliminary study by parameters derived from standard stress and redistribution/reinjection thallium-201 single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) acquisitions with quantification of the tracer uptake defects and from a planar gated blood pool left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) measurement: Perfusion is assumed to correspond to 100-stress defect (in percentage), viability is 100-redistribution/reinjection defect, and contraction is 100(LVEF/70), assuming that a normal 70% LVEF corresponds to 100% contraction. In a group of 30 patients prospectively evaluated with this protocol and included in the study on the basis of a pre-CABG LVEF <40%, a significant improvement in LVEF was demonstrated (28.2%±8.5% before CABG vs 35.8%±7.3% after CABG), which is accompanied by a significant decrease of the stress thallium defects (34.8%±13.8% vs 25.6%±10.6%), whereas the average (but not the individual) redistribution/reinjection defects remain almost stable (27.7%±10.9% vs 25.7%±10.1%). As reported in the three-dimensional model, pre-CABG and post-CABG representative points clearly demonstrate the functional improvements for the main variables, but there is a large spectrum of responses to revascularization. It appears that the border between reversible and nonreversible thallium defects does not match the limit between ischemic myocardium (with no contraction alteration and therefore without contraction improvement potential) and hibernating myocardium, which is able to recover mechanical function and therefore is responsible for the improvement of global LVEF.ConclusionsThallium SPECT is far from ideal for use as an independent characterization of perfusion and viability because hibernating myocardium may be present in both the fixed and reversible parts of thallium defects. Prediction of functional recovery is conditioned by an accurate identification of viable but underperfused and noncontracting myocardium. In the future, with the use of adequate study protocols that are able to measure viability without interference of perfusion and perfusion independent of viability, the proposed model may be able to characterize regional function as a cluster of representative points for each territory and to delineate areas of the theoretical volume corresponding to a potentially recoverable situation.

Myocardial Perfusion Imaging With 99m Tc Tetrofosmin

Background Our objective was to compare the sensitivity and specificity of tetrofosmin, a new 99m Tc-labeled myocardial perfusion imaging agent for the detection of myocardial perfusion abnormalities, with those of 201 Tl and coronary angiography. Our hypothesis was that same-day stress/rest tetrofosmin imaging could provide data comparable to those of 201 Tl imaging. Myocardial perfusion imaging plays an important role for the evaluation of coronary artery disease. Newer 99m Tc-labeled agents offer several advantages over 201 Tl, the conventional myocardial perfusion imaging agent. Tetrofosmin is a new 99m Tc-labeled agent with promising results in preliminary studies. Methods and Results Two hundred fifty-two patients with suspected coronary artery disease were enrolled in 10 centers in the United States and Europe. All patients underwent exercise and rest myocardial perfusion imaging with 99m Tc-tetrofosmin using two separate injections of the radiotracer 4 hours apart on the same day. Planar images were obtained in three standard views 15 to 60 minutes after radiotracer injection. Patients also underwent standard exercise and redistribution planar 201 Tl imaging within 2 weeks of tetrofosmin imaging. In addition, 58 healthy subjects with low likelihood of coronary artery disease underwent exercise and rest tetrofosmin imaging. Coronary angiograms were available in 181 patients with suspected coronary artery disease. All radionuclide images were processed in the central core laboratory and interpreted blindly by a panel of four experienced readers. 201 Tl images and tetrofosmin images were read separately. Discrepancies were resolved by consensus. The workload, peak heart rate, and double products were comparable during exercise for both imaging agents. Technically acceptable paired 201 Tl and tetrofosmin images were available in 224 of 252 patients. Tetrofosmin images were generally of good quality, with low extracardiac activity, and easy to interpret. Patients were categorized as showing normal, ischemia, infarction, or mixture with each imaging modality. Precise concordance for each of these categories was 59.4% (κ=0.44; 95% CI, 0.35 to 0.53). When patients were categorized as normal or abnormal, the concordance was 80.4% (κ=0.55; 95% CI, 0.43 to 0.67). When each of five anatomic territories (septal, anterior, inferior, lateral, and apical) was categorized as normal versus abnormal, the concordance varied from 81% to 90%. When similar comparison was made for the specific category of abnormality, the concordance was 64% to 84%. When coronary angiography was used as the criterion, the sensitivity and positive and negative predictive accuracy of tetrofosmin and 201 Tl were comparable. The normalcy rate of tetrofosmin images in the healthy subjects with low likelihood of coronary artery disease was 97%. Conclusions 99m Tc tetrofosmin is a new myocardial imaging agent with favorable imaging characteristics with results comparable to those of 201 Tl.Background Our objective was to compare the sensitivity and specificity of tetrofosmin, a new 99m Tc-labeled myocardial perfusion imaging agent for the detection of myocardial perfusion abnormalities, with those of 201 Tl and coronary angiography. Our hypothesis was that same-day stress/rest tetrofosmin imaging could provide data comparable to those of 201 Tl imaging. Myocardial perfusion imaging plays an important role for the evaluation of coronary artery disease. Newer 99m Tc-labeled agents offer several advantages over 201 Tl, the conventional myocardial perfusion imaging agent. Tetrofosmin is a new 99m Tc-labeled agent with promising results in preliminary studies. Methods and Results Two hundred fifty-two patients with suspected coronary artery disease were enrolled in 10 centers in the United States and Europe. All patients underwent exercise and rest myocardial perfusion imaging with 99m Tc-tetrofosmin using two separate injections of the radiotracer 4 hours apart on the same day. Planar images were obtained in three standard views 15 to 60 minutes after radiotracer injection. Patients also underwent standard exercise and redistribution planar 201 Tl imaging within 2 weeks of tetrofosmin imaging. In addition, 58 healthy subjects with low likelihood of coronary artery disease underwent exercise and rest tetrofosmin imaging. Coronary angiograms were available in 181 patients with suspected coronary artery disease. All radionuclide images were processed in the central core laboratory and interpreted blindly by a panel of four experienced readers. 201 Tl images and tetrofosmin images were read separately. Discrepancies were resolved by consensus. The workload, peak heart rate, and double products were comparable during exercise for both imaging agents. Technically acceptable paired 201 Tl and tetrofosmin images were available in 224 of 252 patients. Tetrofosmin images were generally of good quality, with low extracardiac activity, and easy to interpret. Patients were categorized as showing normal, ischemia, infarction, or mixture with each imaging modality. Precise concordance for each of these categories was 59.4% (κ=0.44; 95% CI, 0.35 to 0.53). When patients were categorized as normal or abnormal, the concordance was 80.4% (κ=0.55; 95% CI, 0.43 to 0.67). When each of five anatomic territories (septal, anterior, inferior, lateral, and apical) was categorized as normal versus abnormal, the concordance varied from 81% to 90%. When similar comparison was made for the specific category of abnormality, the concordance was 64% to 84%. When coronary angiography was used as the criterion, the sensitivity and positive and negative predictive accuracy of tetrofosmin and 201 Tl were comparable. The normalcy rate of tetrofosmin images in the healthy subjects with low likelihood of coronary artery disease was 97%. Conclusions 99m Tc tetrofosmin is a new myocardial imaging agent with favorable imaging characteristics with results comparable to those of 201 Tl.

Limits of Arterial Myocardial Revascularization

Abstract A prospective study of myocardial blood perfusion after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) was conducted in two groups of patients. In group 1, a two‐year assessment by exercise thallium myocardial scintigraphy without medical treatment was performed in 122 patients who consecutively underwent CABG with exclusive use of both internal mammary arteries (IMA) and gastroepiploic artery (GEA). In group 2, myocardial function and perfusion were determined by radionuclide investigations performed before and one year after CABG in 100 patients with preoperative LV dysfunction (defined as LV ejection fraction (LVEF) less than 0.40), comparing results of myocardial revascularization performed with either exclusive arterial grafts (arterial group, 54 patients) or one arterial graft (IMA) associated with a sequential vein graft (vein group, 46 patients). In group 1, 21% of patients presented silent residual electric ischemia during exercise stress testing and 26% had reversible scintigraphic ischemic defect despite complete revascularization, 18% of those in the inferior wall bypassed with GEA and 8% in the anterior wall bypassed with the right IMA. In group 2, the significant preoperative ischemia significantly decreased in both the vein group and the arterial group. LV function was significantly improved in the vein group; in contrast there was no modification of LV function in the arterial group. A multivariate analysis showed that the surgical technique used and the preoperative LVEF were independent prognostic factors of the postoperative myocardial outcome, with a positive impact of the vein use on the postoperative myocardial function recovery. It is important to recognize that arterial grafts have some limitations in the ability to supply blood flow for coronary circulation that may induce postoperatively silent residual myocardial ischemia and a lack of LV function recovery.(J Card Surg 2003;18:147‐152)