Resting sestamibi imaging for the prognosis of low-risk chest pain.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the prognostic value of resting Tc-99m sestamibi scanning for adverse cardiac events (ACEs) in ED chest pain patients with a low probability of acute cardiac ischemia (ACI).


METHODS
Sixty-nine consenting, hemodynamically stable patients with chest pain and a nondiagnostic electrocardiogram received an injection of 25 mCi of sestamibi during or within two hours of active pain. Scans were interpreted locally by a nuclear cardiologist or radiologist. Interrater reliability was assessed. ACEs of myocardial infarction (MI), death, or revascularization were assessed during the index hospitalization and over a one-year follow-up period.


RESULTS
For ACEs, rest scanning with sestamibi had a sensitivity of 71% (95% CI = 0.33 to 0.97), a specificity of 92% (95% CI = 0.82 to 0.97), and an accuracy of 90% (95% CI = 0.87 to 0.99). The positive predictive value was 50% (95% CI = 0.19 to 0.82) and the negative predictive value was 97% (95% CI = 0.87 to 0.98). Sestamibi scanning was highly discriminating, with 62% of patients with positive scans but only 3% with negative scans having ACEs (p<0.001, log rank test).


CONCLUSIONS
In patients with low-risk chest pain, sestamibi scanning has good specificity and moderate sensitivity for ACEs over a 12-month period.
Kosnik
J W
JW
Department of Emergency Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201, USA. jkosnik@med.wayne.edu
Zalenski
R J
RJ
Shamsa
F
F
Harris
R
R
Mittner
J
J
Kozlowski
J
J
Di Carli
M
M
Udelson
J E
JE
D002637:Chest Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004562:Electrocardiography; D004632:Emergency Medical Services; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000175:diagnosis; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D009204:Myocardial Revascularization; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D017256:Technetium Tc 99m Sestamibi
D017256:Technetium Tc 99m Sestamibi