[Assessment of right ventricular function using gated blood pool single photon emission computed tomography in inferior myocardial infarction with or without hemodynamically significant right ventricular infarction].
Right ventricular function was assessed using gated blood pool single photon emission computed tomography (GSPECT) in 10 normal subjects and 14 patients with inferior myocardial infarction. Three-dimensional background subtraction was achieved by applying an optimal cut off level. The patient group consisted of 6 patients with definite hemodynamic abnormalities indicative of right ventricular infarction (RVI) and 8 other patients with significant obstructive lesion at the proximal portion of right coronary artery without obvious hemodynamic signs of RVI. Right ventricular regional wall motion abnormalities were demonstrated on GSPECT functional images and the indices of right ventricular function (i.e. the right ventricular ejection fraction (RVEF), the right ventricular peak ejection rate (RVPER) and the right ventricular peak filling rate (RVPFR)) were significantly reduced in the patient group, not only in the patients with definite RVI but also in those without hemodynamic signs of RVI. The present study indicates that inferior infarction is frequently associated with RVI, even in the absence of definite hemodynamic signs, when the proximal portion of right coronary artery is obstructed. It is concluded that GSPECT is reliable for the assessment of right ventricular function and regional wall motion, and is also useful for the diagnosis of RVI.
Takahashi
M
M
Second Department of Internal Medicine, Gunma University School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan.
D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013318:Stroke Volume; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon; D016278:Ventricular Function, Right; D015646:Ventriculography, First-Pass