Two-dimensional Doppler echocardiographic correlation of dipyridamole-thallium stress testing with isometric handgrip.
To determine how frequently new wall-motion abnormalities that are indicative of ischemia accompany thallium redistribution, 47 consecutive patients underwent two-dimensional echocardiography during routine dipyridamole-thallium stress testing. A secondary aim of the study was to determine whether the addition of isometric handgrip exercises to the standard dipyridamole imaging protocol increased the frequency of wall-motion abnormalities or thallium redistribution. Echocardiograms and thallium scans were independently interpreted, and wall-motion abnormalities that appeared with dipyridamole, handgrip exercise, or both were compared with results of thallium imaging. Five of 24 patients with thallium redistribution had new wall-motion abnormalities, and the extent (number of segments) of thallium redistribution in these five patients was significantly greater than in those who did not have well-motion abnormalities (p less than 0.03). The addition of isometric handgrip exercises to the imaging protocol did not distinguish between patients with and without new wall-motion abnormalities or thallium redistribution. Thus new wall-motion abnormalities infrequently accompany thallium redistribution in routine dipyridamole stress testing in spite of the addition of handgrip exercises, but when new wall-motion abnormalities are present, they are associated with a greater area of thallium redistribution.
Whitfield
S
S
Department of Medicine, University of Massachussetts Medical Center, Worcester 01655.
Aurigemma
G
G
Pape
L
L
Leppo
J
J
D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004176:Dipyridamole; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005080:Exercise Test / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009200:Myocardial Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D013794:Thallium Radioisotopes
D013794:Thallium Radioisotopes; D004176:Dipyridamole