title: A non-invasive technique for continuous monitoring of left ventricular function using a new solid state mercuric iodide radiation detector.
abstract: A miniature solid-state mercuric iodide (HgI2) nuclear probe detector has been developed in conjunction with a computerized nuclear probe (Nuclear Stethoscope) to enable continuous non-invasive monitoring of left ventricular function using 99Tc-labelled equilibrium blood pool techniques. Left ventricular ejection fraction was measured in 54 patients undergoing radionuclide angiography with a gamma-camera and with the Nuclear Stethoscope and a good correlation was obtained between both techniques (r = 0.94, n = 54, P less than 0.001). The prototype mercuric iodide detector was compared with the sodium iodide detector of the Nuclear Stethoscope and a study in 41 consecutive patients demonstrated a good correlation for the measurement of ejection fraction, ejection rate, peak filling rate and time to peak filling rate (r = 0.94, 0.89, 0.90 and 0.78 respectively). It may be possible to adapt the mercuric iodide detector for continuous non-invasive monitoring of left ventricular performance in critically ill patients and during physiological or pharmacological interventions.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002302:Cardiac Output; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D004164:Diphosphonates; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006334:Heart Function Tests / Q000379:methods*; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007454:Iodides; D008297:Male; D008628:Mercury; D017669:Mercury Compounds; D008875:Middle Aged; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000379:methods*; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D013318:Stroke Volume; D013667:Technetium; D013669:Technetium Tc 99m Medronate
chemical_list: D004164:Diphosphonates; D007454:Iodides; D017669:Mercury Compounds; C023568:technetium Tc 99m (Sn)methylenediphosphonate; D013667:Technetium; D008628:Mercury; C025718:mercuric iodide, red; D013669:Technetium Tc 99m Medronate