Contrast echocardiography versus gated single photon emission computed tomography for the assessment of parameters of left ventricular remodeling after acute myocardial infarction.
BACKGROUND
Assessment of parameters of left ventricular (LV) remodeling after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) has both therapeutic and prognostic implication. Contrast echocardiography (CE) has the advantage of simultaneously assessing myocardial perfusion and LV remodeling. We aimed to evaluate the accuracy of CE to assess LV remodeling after AMI compared with technetium-99m sestamibi gated single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT).


METHODS
Accordingly, 36 consecutive patients underwent gated SPECT, CE, and cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) 7 to 10 days after AMI. LV ejection fraction (LVEF), and LV end-systolic and end-diastolic volumes were assessed.


RESULTS
Absolute differences for LVEF and LV end-diastolic volume between CMR and CE were significantly smaller than that between CMR and SPECT. CE estimate of LVEF more accurately classified patients into LVEF less than 35%, 35% to 45%, and greater than 45% (agreement = 83%, kappa = 0.66 with CMR) compared with SPECT (agreement = 61%, kappa = 0.36 with CMR).


CONCLUSIONS
CE is more accurate than gated SPECT for the estimation of LV remodeling after AMI.
Lim
Tiong Keng
TK
Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Northwick Park Hospital, Harrow, United Kingdom.
Burden
Leah
L
Janardhanan
Rajesh
R
Dwivedi
Girish
G
Ping
Chai
C
Moon
James
J
Pennell
Dudley J
DJ
Senior
Roxy
R
D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D015637:Gated Blood-Pool Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon / Q000379:methods*; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D020257:Ventricular Remodeling