Electrocardiograph-gated single photon emission computed tomography radionuclide angiography presents good interstudy reproducibility for the quantification of global systolic right ventricular function.
BACKGROUND
Electrocardiograph-gated single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) radionuclide angiography provides accurate measurement of right ventricular ejection fraction and end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes.


OBJECTIVE
In this study, we report the interstudy precision and reliability of SPECT radionuclide angiography for the measurement of global systolic right ventricular function using two, three-dimensional volume processing methods (SPECT-QBS, SPECT-35%). These were compared with equilibrium planar radionuclide angiography.


METHODS
Ten patients with chronic coronary artery disease having two SPECT and planar radionuclide angiography acquisitions were included.


RESULTS
For the right ventricular ejection fraction, end-diastolic volume and end-systolic volume, the interstudy precision and reliability were better with SPECT-35% than with SPECT-QBS. The sample sizes needed to objectify a change in right ventricular volumes or ejection fraction were lower with SPECT-35% than with SPECT-QBS. The interstudy precision and reliability of SPECT-35% and SPECT-QBS for the right ventricle were better than those of equilibrium planar radionuclide angiography, but poorer than those previously reported for the left ventricle with SPECT radionuclide angiography on the same population.


CONCLUSIONS
SPECT-35% and SPECT-QBS present good interstudy precision and reliability for right ventricular function, with the results favouring the use of SPECT-35%. The results are better than those of equilibrium planar radionuclide angiography, but poorer than those previously reported for the left ventricle with SPECT radionuclide angiography. They need to be confirmed in a larger population.
Daou
Doumit
D
Department of Nuclear Medicine, Cochin University Hospital, Paris, France. doumit.daou@lrb.ap-hop-paris.fr
Coaguila
Carlos
C
Vilain
Didier
D
D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D015637:Gated Blood-Pool Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013318:Stroke Volume; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon / Q000379:methods*; D018497:Ventricular Dysfunction, Right / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*