[Value of radionuclide lung scintigraphy in the diagnosis and quantitative analysis of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension].
OBJECTIVE
This study was to assess the reliability of perfusion/ventilation (Q/V) lung scintigraphy in the diagnosis and quantitative analysis of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH).


METHODS
A total of 78 in-patients with pulmonary hypertension who had no history of congenital heart disease, valvular disease and acute pulmonary embolism were included in this study. All patients underwent Q/V scintigraphy for detecting CTEPH. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of Q/V scintigraphy were defined by comparing with the results of pulmonary angiography. Percentage of Perfusion Defect score (PPDs%) was calculated in patients with CTEPH confirmed by pulmonary angiography. The correlations between PPDs% and mPAP, PPDs% and SPAP were analyzed.


RESULTS
The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of a high-probability Q/V scintigraphy interpretation were 96.0%, 81.1% and 86.9%, respectively, compared with 100%, 69.8% and 79.5% for the combination of high- and intermediate- probability Q/V scintigraphy interpretation. PPDs% was significantly correlated with mPAP and SPAP (r = 0.538 for mPAP, P < 0.01 and r = 0.456 for SPAP, P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Perfusion/ventilation lung scintigraphy is a valuable technique for diagnosis and quantitative analysis of CTEPH.
Fang
Wei
W
Department of Nuclear Medicine, Cardiovascular Institute & Fu Wai Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100037, China.
Ni
Xin-Hai
XH
He
Jian-Guo
JG
Liu
Zhi-Hong
ZH
Xiong
Chang-Ming
CM
He
Zuo-Xiang
ZX
D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014692:Ventilation-Perfusion Ratio