title: Prognostic value of technetium-99m-labeled single-photon emission computerized tomography in the follow-up of patients after their first myocardial revascularization surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the prognostic value of Technetium-99m-labeled single-photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT) in the follow-up of patients who had undergone their first myocardial revascularization.
  
  
  METHODS
  We carried out a retrospective study of 280 revascularized patients undergoing myocardial scintigraphy under stress (exercise or pharmacological stress with dipyridamole) and at rest according to a 2-day protocol. A set of clinical, stress electrocardiographic and scintigraphic variables was assessed. Cardiac events were classified as "major" (death, infarction, unstable angina) and "any" (major event or coronary angioplasty or new myocardial revascularization surgery).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-six major events occurred as follows: 3 deaths, 11 infarctions, and 22 unstable anginas. In regard to any event, 22 angioplasties and 7 new surgeries occurred in addition to major events, resulting a total of 65 events. The sensitivity of scintigraphy in prognosticating a major event or any event was, respectively, 55% and 58%, showing a negative predictive value of 90% and 83%, respectively. Diabetes mellitus, inconclusive stress electrocardiography, and a scintigraphic visualization of left ventricular enlargement were significant variables for the occurrence of a major event. On multivariate analysis, abnormal myocardial scintigraphy was a predictor of any event.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Myocardial perfusion tomography with Technetium-99m may be used to identify high-risk patients after their first myocardial revascularization surgery.
authors.affiliation: Cintilab, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. msales@cardiol.br
authors.forename: Márcia Maria Sales
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: dos Santos
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cwajg
authors.forename: Mauricio da Rocha
authors.initials: Mda R
authors.lastname: Pantoja
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000789:Angina, Unstable / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D009204:Myocardial Revascularization / Q000592:standards; D011379:Prognosis; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D017256:Technetium Tc 99m Sestamibi; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D017256:Technetium Tc 99m Sestamibi