title: Predicting breast attenuation in patients undergoing myocardial perfusion scintigraphy: a digital x-ray study.
abstract: Attenuation artifacts are the most common sources of error in myocardial single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging. Breast artifacts are the most frequent causes of false positive planar images in female subjects. The purpose of this study was to predict breast adverse attenuation by measuring breast tissue thickness with digital x-ray. Sixty-five consecutive female patients with angina pectoris, who were referred to myocardial perfusion scintigraphy were enrolled in this study. Eighteen patients with normal perfusion imaging and normal coronary angiography composed the first group, whereas the second group consisted of 28 patients with a positive exercise electrocardiogram with anterior ischemia on myocardial perfusion imaging and greater than 50% left anterior descending artery stenosis on angiography. Nineteen patients in the third group had normal exercise electrocardiograms and normal coronary angiographies, but anterior ischemia on perfusion imaging. Digital x-ray records were obtained for measuring breast tissue thickness and Hounsfield density. The rate of breast adverse attenuation was 40% (19/47) in patients with anterior ischemia. The sensitivity and specificity of the prediction of breast adverse attenuation (lateral density less than 550 Hounsfield) were 79% and 11%, respectively. When breast attenuation for a breast thickness greater than 6 cm measured in the left anterior oblique view was predicted, the sensitivity and specificity were 79% and 93%, respectively. In conclusion, breast thickness greater than 6 cm measured from the left anterior oblique view with digital x-ray can predict breast adverse attenuation in female patients, and thereby may decrease the number of unnecessary invasive diagnostic procedures to be performed.
authors: Department of Cardiology, Siyami Ersek Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery Center, Istanbul, Turkey. zeknurkalem@yahoo.com
authors: Zekeriya
authors: Z
authors: Nurkalem
authors: Sinan
authors: S
authors: Sahin
authors: Nevzat
authors: N
authors: Uslu
authors: Ayse
authors: A
authors: Emre
authors: Ahmet Taha
authors: AT
authors: Alper
authors: Sevket
authors: S
authors: Gorgulu
authors: Fehmi
authors: F
authors: Yardi
authors: Mehmet
authors: M
authors: Eren
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000787:Angina Pectoris; D016477:Artifacts; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001940:Breast / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization / Q000379:methods; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000379:methods; D005080:Exercise Test / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D055414:Myocardial Perfusion Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon / Q000379:methods
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