title: UK audit of quantification of left-ventricular function using gated myocardial perfusion imaging.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to evaluate UK-wide interinstitutional reproducibility of left-ventricular functional parameters, end-systolic volume, end-diastolic volume and ejection fraction, obtained from gated myocardial perfusion imaging (GMPI) studies using technetium-99m-labelled radiopharmaceuticals. The study was carried out by the UK Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine Nuclear Medicine Software Quality Group.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten anonymized clinical GMPI studies, five with normal perfusion and five with perfusion defects, were made available in DICOM and proprietary formats for download and through manufacturers' representatives. Two of the studies were duplicated in order to assess intraoperator repeatability, giving a total of 12 studies. Studies were made available in 8 and 16 frames/cycle.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 58 institutions across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland participated in this study using six different computer packages. Studies were processed at centres using their normal clinical computers and software. The overall mean±SD ejection fraction for all centres was 58.5±3%; the mean end-diastolic volume was 114±12 ml and the mean end-systolic volume was 54±6 ml. The results were affected by the number of frames per cycle and by the postprocessing computer package, but not by the reconstruction filter in the filtered back-projection.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Calculation of functional parameters from GMPI using technetium-99m-labelled radiopharmaceuticals is reliable and shows limited variability across the UK.
authors.affiliation: Royal United Hospital Bath NHS Trust, Bath, UK.
authors.forename: Sarah C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Cade
authors.forename: David O
authors.initials: DO
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.forename: Bob
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kenny
authors.forename: Andy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Knight
authors.forename: Richard S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Lawson
authors.forename: Lefteris
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Livieratos
authors.forename: Kuldip S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Nijran
authors.forename: Duncan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: White
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D055424:Cardiac-Gated Imaging Techniques / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008485:Medical Audit; D008875:Middle Aged; D055414:Myocardial Perfusion Imaging / Q000592:standards*; D015588:Observer Variation; D006113:United Kingdom; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left