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Validity of left-ventricular ejection fractions measured at rest and peak exercise by equilibrium radionuclide angiography using short acquisition times.

To validate ejection fraction (EF) calculations from 5 and 2 minutes of multiple-gated equilibrium radionuclide angiographic data and to establish its utility during alterations in cardiac performance, we studied 38 patients with chest pain suggestive of coronary artery disease. Twenty-four patients underwent contrast ventriculography (CV) as well as first-pass (FP) and equilibrium (EQ) radionuclide angiography at rest, and 14 additional patients had both radionuclide tests performed at rest as well as during peak supine bicycle exercise. The resting 5-min acquisition ejection fractions were compared between each method and the following correlations were generated: r = .92, n = 24 (CV-EQ), r = .92, n = 24 (CV-FP), and r = .95, n = 38 (FP-EQ). The variability of EQ-EF calculations between two independent observers was less than 2%; the mean absolute difference between two sequential 2-min acquisitions and the 5-min recordings was -.1 +/- 1.6%, and the reproducibility of sequential 2-min ejection fractions was excellent (r = .98). EQ and FP ejection fractions at symptom-limited exercise correlated well (r = .96, n = 14). We conclude that equilibrium radionuclide angiography is a valid method to measure EF both at rest as well as during peak exercise even when 2-min acquisition periods are used.

Adult↗

Left ventricular dysfunction and blood glycohemoglobin levels in young diabetics.

Left ventricular function including regional wall motion (RWM) was evaluated by 99mTc first-pass and equilibrium gated blood pool ventriculography and glycohemoglobin (HbA1c) blood levels determined by a quantitative column technique in 25 young patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus without clinical evidence of heart disease, and in healthy controls matched for age and sex. Phase analysis revealed abnormal RWM in 19 of 21 diabetic patients. The mean left ventricular global ejection fraction, the mean regional ejection fraction and the mean 1/3 filling fraction were lower and the time to peak ejection, the time to peak filling and the time to peak ejection/cardiac cycle were longer in diabetics than in controls. We found high HbA1c levels in all diabetics. There was no significant difference between patients with and without retinopathy and with and without peripheral neuropathy in terms of left ventricular function and HbA1c levels.

Adolescent↗

Radionuclide ventriculography: I. Technical aspects.

Radionuclide ventriculography is a relatively simple, easily repeatable technique for the noninvasive assessment of global and regional ventricular function. Since the initial description of radionuclide ventriculography over 15 years ago, it has found widespread application in the diagnosis and evaluation of patients with coronary, valvular, myopathic, and congenital heart disease. This manuscript, the first of two parts, reviews the technical aspects of radionuclide ventriculography, including both gated equilibrium and first-pass methods. The available radiopharmaceuticals, the necessary equipment, and the most reliable procedures are described. The strengths and weaknesses of both methods are compared, including their relative resolutions, the acquisition times required, the variables that may be measured, and the repeatability of each. Finally, the most recent development in radionuclide imaging of the cardiac blood pool, gated tomographic imaging, is described, and its potential clinical applications and advantages are discussed.

Heart↗

[Nuclear medicine in determining the shunt in ductus arteriosus Botalli].

In 9 patients with patent ductus arteriosus, quantification of left-to-right shunt was performed with dye dilution curves after peripheral injection and with radionuclide ventriculography. The study was repeated within 7 days after successful transluminal occlusion of the ductus with an Ivalon-plug. Reproducubility of the method could be studied in one patient in whom reopening of the ductus occurred. Dye dilution curves were analyzed using the method of Carter et al. Radionuclide ventriculography was performed as a combined first-pass and equilibrium study: effective stroke volume was derived from the first pass of the tracer through the heart; during the equilibrium phase left ventricular ejection fraction (EF) and left ventricular enddiastolic volume (EDV) were evaluated. The difference between total left ventricular stroke volume (product of EF and EDV) and effective stroke volume was taken as shunt volume. This volume as a fraction of total left ventricular stroke volume resulted in percent left-to-right shunt. The sensitivity of the dye technique was 78%; a quantification of the shunt lesion was possible in 55% of all cases (shunt greater than 35%). The sensitivity of the radionuclide technique was 90%. The severity of the lesion could not be determined in one patient with a minimal shunt. After successful occlusion of the ductus, dye dilution curves normalized in all cases. Radionuclide ventriculography showed normalization in all but one patient. This patient with concomitant mitral regurgitation still showed moderate left ventricular volume overload.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗

[Current role of radionuclide imaging in pediatric cardiology].

Three main nuclear medicine methods are used in paediatric cardiology: sequential first-pass radionuclide imaging of the cardiac cavities, radionuclide equilibrium ventriculography and radionuclide myocardial imaging. Valuable functional information is obtained, and invasive explorations can be avoided in an ever increasing number of cases. Of particular interest is left-to-right shunt measurement which indicates that atrial septal defects must be surgically corrected when the pulmonary/systemic flows ratio (QP/QS) is above 2. This technique is also useful to evaluate the tightness of repairs in ventricular and atrial septal defects. Radionuclide studies of the right and left ventricles may detect dysfunction in one or the other cavity. The left ventricular ejection fraction is reduced in myocardiopathy an in aortic or mitral valve diseases seen at a late stage. The right ventricular function is often abnormal, notably during exercise, after repair of the tetralogy of Fallot and after atrial correction of complete transposition of the great arteries. An altered ejection fraction in patients with single ventricle is also a sign of deterioration. Right ventricular diastolic overload evaluated by radionuclide equilibrium ventriculography correlates with the QP/QS ratio value in atrial septal defects and with the inducibility of ventricular tachycardia by endocavitary pacing in repaired tetralogy of Fallot. Thallium 201 myocardial imaging provides information on myocardial ischaemia, notably that associated with congenital abnormalities of the coronary arteries. Its use had now been extended, albeit with some limitations, to the evaluation of right ventricular systolic overload. Other radionuclide techniques are being developed with new tracers: Kryton 81m for studies of the right ventricle, short-lived radionuclides for first-pass studies, Iodine 123-labelled fatty acids for myocardial imaging. More recently, some substrates, such as deoxyglucose, have been labelled with positron emitters permitting in vivo metabolic studies.

Cardiac Output↗

Analysis of left ventricular function from gated first-pass and multiple gated equilibrium acquisitions.

99mTechnetium-sestamibi is a new myocardial perfusion imaging agent that offers significant physical advantages over 201thallium for myocardial perfusion imaging. One of these advantages is that it can be used in the assessment of ventricular function by means of first-pass radionuclide angiography (FPRNA), acquired during the injection of the tracer. In this study we compared gated list mode first-pass acquisition with 99mTc-sestamibi (FP-MIBI) to multiple gated equilibrium radionuclide ventriculography (MUGA) with 99mTc-labelled red blood cells for the determination of global left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). The study population consisted of 20 patients (mean age 54 years) who were submitted to stress-rest perfusion imaging. Resting FPRNA was performed using 99mTc-sestamibi and the reference data were acquired within a week with the MUGA technique. A linear correlation between FP LVEF and MUGA LVEF gave an r = 0.974 (p < 0.01). Diastolic and systolic timing and velocity parameters had lower correlations between these two methods. We conclude that global LVEF can be precisely measured with 99mTc-sestamibi when compared to usually employed MUGA technique with 99mTc-labelled red blood cells.

Cardiac Output↗

Potentiation of right ventricular function at a reduced workload: a potential pitfall in assessing right ventricular function by exercise radionuclide ventriculography.

Right ventricular ejection fraction (RVEF) determinations at rest (R) and exercise (E) are a means of demonstrating exercise-induced RV dysfunction. Not all patients are able to maintain peak (P) cardiac workloads during a gated RVEF study or, if a first-pass study is performed, for multiple acquisitions. Reductions from P cardiac workloads have been shown to potentiate LV function; however, the effect on RVEF has not been studied. Supine exercise radionuclide ventriculography was performed on 26 patients: nine normal subjects and 17 patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) (greater than 50% stenosis of one or more coronary artery). Gated RVEF's were obtained from sequential left anterior oblique views obtained at R, P, and at a workload reduced approximately 40% from P work levels postpeak (PP). In normals, RVEFs were at R, P, and PP 27, 38 and 44. In CAD patient RVEFs were 31, 35 and 39, at R, P, and PP, respectively. The conclusions are that RVEF improves from rest to PP exercise levels in normal subjects and in CAD patients and from P to PP levels in normal subjects. This improvement must be considered in interpreting exercise RV studies to aid in the detection of patients with CAD.

Adult↗

Reproducibility and reliability of first pass radionuclide ventriculography with Au-195m. Validation of Au-195m radionuclide ventriculography.

Au-195m is a radio-isotope with an ultra-short half-life with which multiple sequential evaluations of ventricular function can be made. In order to evaluate the reliability and reproducibility of analyses of overall and regional ventricular function by radio-isotope ventriculography with Au-195m we studied 10 healthy volunteers and 12 patients with coronary artery disease. Each subject underwent 4 first-pass studies: 1 with Tc-99m and, 10 minutes later, 3 with Au-195m (2 basal studies separated by 3-5 minutes interval and, 10 minutes later, 1 after s.l. nitroglycerin administration). Regional wall motion was analyzed and ejection fraction and peak count rate were determined in each test. Our study showed that the ejection fraction obtained with Au-195m was reproducible (r = 0.98) and correlated well with the ejection fraction determined by using Tc-99m (r = 0.98). The values of the peak count rate obtained with Tc-99m were higher than those obtained with Au-195m. Due to the specially designed collimator and the technical characteristics of the gamma-camera we used, we were able to record sufficiently high count-rates to evaluate regional wall motion, and this analysis was also found to be reliable and reproducible. After s.l. nitroglycerin administration, normal volunteers showed a significant increase of ejection fraction in comparison with basal acquisitions (p less than 0.05), while a wide range of responses was observed in the group of patients with coronary artery disease. We conclude that radio-isotope ventriculography with Au-195m is reliable and reproducible and could be a valid method of monitoring rapid variations induced in overall and regional left ventricular function.

Adult↗

Incidence of exertional right ventricular wall motion abnormalities in patients with coronary artery disease.

To evaluate the role of analysis of right ventricular function with exercise in patients with presumed coronary artery disease referred for radionuclide ventriculography, the records of 55 patients referred to our laboratory over a 19-month period were reviewed. All underwent rest and exercise first-pass radionuclide stress testing and cardiac catheterization within a period of four months. Three groups were identified: (1) patients with normal exercise right ventricular function (n = 24); (2) patients with exercise-induced right ventricular regional wall motion abnormalities (n = 15); and, (3) patients with abnormal resting right ventricular function without new exercise abnormalities (n = 16). Patients in each group were similar in age, sex, baseline left ventricular function, medication usage, and indication for study. The incidence of right coronary artery disease was identical in the three groups, as was the incidence of left ventricular functional abnormalities with exercise. Patients with proximal right coronary artery disease were more likely to have reduced left ventricular ejection fraction and more extensive coronary artery disease than those without disease at this site. We conclude that: (1) analysis of rest and exercise right ventricular function does not allow prediction of coronary anatomy in an unselected group of patients; (2) normal right ventricular function with exercise is compatible with extensive coronary artery disease, including proximal right coronary artery disease; and (3) abnormal exercise right ventricular function may be due to exertional left ventricular dysfunction in the absence of proximal right coronary artery disease.

Cardiac Catheterization↗

[Pre- and post-operative right ventricular functions in valvular heart diseases: the significance of noninvasive assessment].

This investigation was undertaken to evaluate right ventricular function in valvular heart diseases by calculating right ventricular ejection fraction (RVEF) from first-pass radionuclide angiography (RNA). One hundred cases of valvular heart disease were examined by RNA, 93 of whom underwent cardiac catheterization and contrast left ventriculography, preoperatively. Fifty of the 100 cases were examined by RNA; 18 by cardiac catheterization post-operatively. The results were as follows: 1. In 49 cases of mitral valve disease, there was a correlation (r = -0.75) between pulmonary artery mean pressure (PAm) and RVEF. This suggested that afterload of left atrial pressure elevation induced a decrease in RVEF. 2. Although PAm did not increase so much in aortic valve disease, RVEF decreased in some cases, especially in those having massive aortic stenosis or regurgitation. In 22 cases of aortic regurgitation which had normal PAm and a left ventricular-aortic systolic pressure gradient less than 50 mmHg, there was a correlation (r = -0.69) between the RVEF and the left ventricular end-diastolic volume index (LVEDVI). 3. Although post-operative RVEF did not improve significantly in mitral valve disease, it increased significantly in the early post-operative period in aortic valve disease. Also, the increase in RVEF and the decrease in LVEDVI seemed to correlate closely in aortic valve disease. It was speculated that pre-operative decrease of RVEF is derived from a deformity of the RV caused by pressure from the enlarged or thickened LV, and that post-operative increase of RVEF is dependent upon a decrease of LV size and volume.

Erythrocytes↗

Evaluation of valvular regurgitation by factor analysis of first-pass angiography.

We have evaluated left ventricular regurgitation by means of factor analysis of 99mTc first-pass radionuclide angiography (FPRNA) and time-activity curve deconvolution. The FPRNA regurgitant fraction (RF) was computed in 26 individuals: 13 patients (eight mitral, three aortic, and two mitral-aortic) and 13 controls. The reference method was contrast ventriculography (CV) performed within 1 hr after FPRNA. In 19 patients, CV was preceded by the determination of cardiac output, using indocyanine green dye (n = 16) or thermodilution technique (n = 3), to determine a catheterization regurgitant fraction (CATH-RF). Lung and left ventricular (LV) time-activity curves were gathered by factor analysis and the FPRNA regurgitant fraction assessed by a lagged normal deconvolution of these curves. In valvular regurgitation, the LV deconvolved curve demonstrates the appearance of a long transit time component that is amenable to quantification. The presence of regurgitation was determined by contrast ventriculography. With a 10% RF as an acceptable upper limit of normal for nonregurgitant patients, FPRNA yielded one false-negative and no false-positive studies (n = 26), while CATH-RF yielded two false-negative and four false-positive determinations (n = 19). The following are results of quantitative determination of RF (mean +/- s.d.): FPRNA 0.39 +/- 0.19 (n = 13 Valvular), 0.01 +/- 0.03 (n = 13 Controls); CATH 0.34 +/- 0.24 (n = 11 Valvular), 0.13 +/- 0.12 (n = eight controls). FPRNA was able to differentiate (p less than 0.001) between control patients (CV grading 0) and mild/moderate regurgitation (CV grading 1+ or 2+) and severe regurgitation (3+ or 4+) (p less than 0.025).

Adult↗

[Assessment of right atrial and ventricular function by radionuclide ventriculography using continuous infusion of 81mKr].

The purpose of this study is to assess the right atrial and ventricular function by radionuclide ventriculography using continuous infusion of 81mKr in normal subjects and in patients with heart disease. 1) Reproducibility of RVEF measurement by continuous infusion of 81mKr was good (interobserver; gamma = 0.97, p less than 0.001, n = 20: intraobserver; gamma = 0.97, p less than 0.001, n = 20). This method had a excellent correlation with RVEF of 99mTc first-pass technique (gamma = 0.92, p less than 0.001, n = 20). 2) RVEF was measured in 10 normal volunteers, 76 patients with myocardial infarction (OMI), 20 patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), 5 patients with arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia (ARVD) and 5 patients with primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH). In OMI and DCM, their RVEF was lower than that of normal volunteers and, in ARVD and PPH, lower than that of OMI and DCM. There was a significant inverse correlation between RVEF, mean pulmonary artery pressure and right ventricular end-diastolic volume index. 3) The effect of the location of right coronary artery (RCA) lesions on RVEF during exercise was also evaluated. Ten normal volunteers and 27 patients with OMI were studied at rest and during exercise. The patients with OMI were divided into two groups: those without proximal RCA lesions (non RCA group, n = 12) and those with proximal RCA lesions (RCA group, n = 15). Although there were no significant increases of RVEF during exercise in both group, the percent change in RVEF was less in RCA group than in non RCA group. These findings suggested that proximal RCA stenosis is a major determinant of exercise RVEF. 4) To assess the right atrial function, right atrial volume curve was measured in 10 normal volunteers, 32 patients with OMI and 4 patients with PPH. The curve was clearly divided into 4 phase; filling phase (312 +/- 40 msec), early ejection phase (276 +/- 53 msec), plateau an index of right atrial reservoir function, was 0.41 +/- 0.05 and Contractile Volume/Stroke Volume (Contr. V/SV), as an index of right atrial pump function, was 0.23 +/- 0.05 in normal volunteers. In OMI and PPH, atrial reservoir function decreased and atrial pump function increased. It was concluded that radionuclide ventriculography using continuous infusion of 81mKr was useful to assess the right heart function.

Atrial Function, Right↗

Simultaneous technetium-99m MIBI angiography and myocardial perfusion imaging.

Resting first-pass radionuclide angiography (FPRNA) was performed with the myocardial perfusion agent technetium-99m MIBI. In 27 patients, it was compared with technetium-99m diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid FPRNA. A significant correlation was present in left (r = 0.93, p less than 0.001) as well as right (r = 0.92, p less than 0.001) ventricular ejection fraction measured with both radiopharmaceuticals. In 13 patients, MIBI derived segmental wall motion was compared with contrast ventriculography. A high correlation was present (p less than 0.001), and qualitative agreement was found in 38/52 segments. In 19 patients with myocardial infarction a significant correlation was present between MIBI segmental wall motion and perfusion scores (p less than 0.001). In ten patients with a history of myocardial infarction, 18 myocardial segments demonstrated diseased coronary vessels and impaired wall motion at contrast angiography. These segments were all identified by the MIBI wall motion and perfusion study. We conclude that MIBI is a promising agent for simultaneous evaluation of cardiac function and myocardial perfusion at rest.

Angiography↗

Left-ventricular ejection fraction and segmental wall motion by peripheral first-pass radionuclide angiography.

A computerized edge-detection method was developed to obtain radionuclide ventriculograms for analysis of left-ventricular ejection fraction and segmental wall motion from first-pass studies following i.v. injection of radionuclide. The accuracy of this technique was examined in 21 patients undergoing cardiac catheterization. Tc-99m DTPA was injected into an antecubital vein, with data acquisition in the 30 degrees RAO projection by a gamma scintillation camera interfaced to a computer. A computerized profile analysis was used to determine objectively the edge of the left-ventricular blood pool. Time-activity curves were generated, and the ejection fraction was calculated from sequential end-diastolic and end-systolic count rates. The values for ejection fraction correlated well with those obtained by single-plane contrast ventriculography (r = 0.95). End-diastolic and end-systolic images were reconstructed from the time-activity curve. To analyze segmental wall motion, the left-ventricular outline was divided into five segments and the motion of each segment was graded qualitatively from 1 to 5. Seventy-five of 105 segments had the same grade as the wall motion determined by contrast angiography, and 102 of 105 were within one grade. (P less than 0.001). These findings demonstrate the accuracy of this improved technique for objective, rapid, and noninvasive determination of left-ventricular function.

Adult↗

[Severity and extent of coronary artery disease and their relationship to left ventricular functional reserve in the chronic disease state].

Our previous observations showed that left ventricular wall motion abnormality (asynergy) induced by stress was observed in the phase response of radionuclide technique, and the severity and extent of coronary artery disease (CAD) assessed by the Pujadas score (PS) correlated well with the maximal phase delay response (delta MPD) but not with the ejection fraction response (delta EF) in patients with CAD without old myocardial infarction (MI). This study evaluated the usefulness of EF, MPD and the first-third filling fraction (FF, divided by the volume accrued throughout diastole) at rest and during stress, using ergometer and first-pass radionuclide angiocardiography (RNA), to determine the severity of CAD, and to evaluate any abnormalities in the systolic and diastolic coupling in left ventricular function during stress. Seventy-four patients with significant CAD, including 41 with previous transmural MI (MI group) and 33 without MI (angina group) were the subjects of this study. EF at rest and during stress inversely correlated, and MPD on stress linearly correlated with PS in angina group with PS greater than 10, while no such correlations were found in MI group. A normal EF response (delta EF greater than or equal to 5%) was accompanied by a greater-than-normal response in FF (delta FF) in both groups. A lower EF response was accompanied by a smaller delta FF in angina group, but by a larger delta FF in MI group. The difference was statistically significant (p less than 0.03), without significant differences by age, PS, peak heart rate, systolic blood pressure, and ischemia on ECG during stress. Resting EF and FF by the RNA method correlated with those by left ventriculography (LVG), respectively. It was suggested that RNA is an accurate method for determining EF and FF, while phase analysis may provide some additional information different from that provided by LVG. We concluded that EF and MPD during stress are as useful as delta MPD with the exception of a few cases in predicting the severity of CAD, and that scar tissue within the ventricular wall in MI may play an important role in determining the ventricular diastolic mechanical property during stress.

Angina Pectoris↗

Presurgical identification of hibernating myocardium by combined use of technetium-99m hexakis 2-methoxyisobutylisonitrile single photon emission tomography and fluorine-18 fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography in patients with coronary artery disease.

We tested the possibility of identifying areas of hibernating myocardium by the combined assessment of perfusion and metabolism using single photon emission tomography (SPET) with technetium-99m hexakis 2-methoxyisobutylisonitrile (99mTc-MIBI) and positron emission tomography (PET) with fluorine-18 fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (18F-FDG). Segmental wall motion, perfusion and 18F-FDG uptake were scored in 5 segments in 14 patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), for a total number of 70 segments. Each subject underwent the following studies prior to and following coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG): first-pass radionuclide angiography, electrocardiography gated planar perfusion scintigraphy and SPET perfusion scintigraphy with 99mTc-MIBI and, after 16 h fasting, 18F-FDG/PET metabolic scintigraphy. Wall motion impairment was either decreased or completely reversed by CABG in 95% of the asynergic segments which exhibited 18F-FDG uptake, whereas it was unmodified in 80% of the asynergic segments with no 18F-FDG uptake. A stepwise multiple logistic analysis was carried out on the asynergic segments to estimate the postoperative probability of wall motion improvement on the basis of the preoperative regional perfusion and metabolic scores. The segments with the highest probability (96%) of functional recovery from preoperative asynergy after revascularization were those with a marked 18F-FDG uptake prior to CABG. High probabilities of functional recovery were also estimated for the segments presenting with moderate and low 18F-FDG uptake (92% and 79%, respectively). A low probability of functional recovery (13%) was estimated in the segments with no 18F-FDG uptake.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Coronary Artery Bypass↗

Left ventricular perfusion and performance from a single radiopharmaceutical and one camera.

To test the hypothesis that a small field of view portable multicrystal scintillation camera can perform stress/rest combined LV function by first-pass and perfusion studies using 99mTc-teboroxime, 26 patients with positive stress thallium studies within 2 wk and 8 healthy volunteers were studied. A 241Am point source marker over the sternum was used for motion correction. Dynamic dual-isotope (99mTc/241Am) acquisition was performed following injection of 15.6 +/- 2.3 mCi of 99mTc-teboroxime at peak treadmill exercise. Two minutes later (blood-pool clearance), while still standing on the flat treadmill, 3-4 40-sec planar images were acquired. One hour later patients were reinjected with 22.7 +/- 3.4 mCi of 99mTc-teboroxime while standing in front of the camera and the same dynamic/static acquisition protocol repeated. The planar images were interpolated from a 20 x 20 matrix to a 160 x 160 matrix, a sharpening filter and an interpolative background subtraction algorithm applied. The scans were divided into segments, each scored as normal, reversible and fixed. The agreement with thallium imaging for identifying an abnormal scan was 24/26 (92%) and for identifying abnormal vascular territories was 43/52, (83%). Fourteen patients had exercise LVEF less than 50% and all had either prior myocardial infarction, myocardial infarction plus ischemia or LAD ischemia. Diagnostic planar perfusion images and exercise LVEF can be acquired in less than 4 min using 99mTc-teboroxime and a portable multicrystal scintillation camera.

Adult↗

Assessment of early ventricular systole by first pass radionuclide angiography: useful method for detection of left ventricular dysfunction at rest in patients with coronary artery disease.

To identify abnormal left ventricular function without exercise stress in patients with coronary artery disease first-pass radionuclide angiograms were analyzed in 32 normal subjects (Group I); 31 patients with coronary disease and normal contrast ventriculograms (Group II); and 17 patients with coronary disease and depressed left ventricular function (Group III). Total ejection fraction (EF) was computed with standard angiographic methods and from each time-activity curve. During the first third of systole, ejection fraction was determined manually by averaging three to five beats and the value compared with that obtained with contrast ventriculography: (Formula: see text). Both total radionuclide ejection fraction (r = 0.95) and first-third ejection fraction (r = 0.91) correlated well with angiography. Intraobserver and interobserver variation was small, averaging 0.02 +/- 0.02 (range 0 to 0.05). The radionuclide first-third ejection fraction was 0.25 or greater in normal subjects and less than 0.25 in 29 of 31 patients (94 percent) in Group II and in all patients in Group III. It is concluded that the first-third ejection fraction obtained with first pass angiography identifies subtle abnormalities of left ventricular function at rest in more than 90 percent of patients with coronary disease that may not be recognized by total ejection fraction alone.

Adult↗