Assessment of the intracardiac left to right shunts with a single scintillation probe.
In order to assess the accuracy of pulmonary time-activity curves obtained at bedside with a single scintillation probe and Technetium-99m-labelled erythrocytes, pulmonary to systemic flow ratio (Qp:Qs) was calculated for radionuclide and hemodynamic investigations in 104 patients with suspected intracardiac left to right shunts. Cardiac catheterization confirmed the presence of shunts in 76 patients. Pulmonary time-activity curve was 100% sensitive, 88% specific, and 96% accurate in detecting the shunt. Correlation between the radionuclide and hemodynamic Qp:Qs was excellent (r = 0.93). Results were classified in four quantitative categories according to the Qp:Qs values. In 76 patients (73%) radionuclide and hemodynamic data fell in the same category. We conclude that radionuclide pulmonary time-activity curves generated with a scintillation probe is a reliable method in quantitative assessment of intracardiac left to right shunts.
2nd Department of Cardiology, Silesian Medical Academy, Zabrze, Poland.
M
M
Tendera
A
A
Bartoszewski
J
J
Foremny
A
A
Salamon
J
J
Wodniecki
E
E
Malecka-Tendera
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization; D005260:Female; D006343:Heart Septal Defects / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D011652:Pulmonary Circulation; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D012588:Scintillation Counting