title: Lung perfusion: MRI vs. SPECT for screening in suspected chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension.
abstract: To assess the diagnostic accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) perfusion against perfusion single photon emission tomography (SPECT) screening for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). Ventilation/perfusion (V/Q) scintigraphy is recommended to screen for suspected CTEPH. It has previously been shown that 3D dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) lung perfusion MRI has a similar sensitivity for diagnosing CTEPH in comparison to planar perfusion scintigraphy; however, planar scintigraphy has now been largely replaced by SPECT, due to higher spatial resolution and sensitivity.
  
  
  
  Consecutive patients with suspected CTEPH or unexplained pulmonary hypertension attending a referral center, who underwent lung DCE perfusion MRI at 1.5T, perfusion SPECT, and computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA) within 14 days of right heart catheterization, from April 2013 to April 2014, were included. DCE-MR, SPECT, and CTPA were independently analyzed by two blinded radiologists. Disagreements were corrected by consensus. The gold standard reference for the diagnosis of chronic thromboemboli was based on a review of multimodality imaging and clinical findings.
  
  
  
  In all, 74 patients with suspected CTEPH underwent all three modalities. Forty-six were diagnosed with CTEPH (36) or chronic thromboembolic disease (CTED) (10). 3D DCE perfusion MRI correctly identified all patients (sensitivity of 100%), compared with a 97% sensitivity for SPECT.
  
  
  
  DCE lung perfusion MRI has increased sensitivity when compared with perfusion scintigraphy in screening for CTEPH. As MRI does not use ionizing radiation, it should be considered as a first-line imaging modality in suspected CTEPH.
  
  
  
  3 Technical Efficacy: Stage 3 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2017;46:1693-1697.
authors.affiliation: Academic Unit of Radiology, University of Sheffield, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, UK.
authors.forename: Christopher S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Johns
authors.affiliation: Academic Unit of Radiology, University of Sheffield, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, UK.
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Swift
authors.affiliation: Academic Unit of Radiology, University of Sheffield, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, UK.
authors.forename: Smitha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rajaram
authors.affiliation: Academic Unit of Radiology, University of Sheffield, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, UK.
authors.forename: Paul J C
authors.initials: PJC
authors.lastname: Hughes
authors.affiliation: Academic Unit of Radiology, University of Sheffield, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, UK.
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Capener
authors.affiliation: Pulmonary Vascular Institute, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, UK.
authors.forename: David G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Kiely
authors.affiliation: Academic Unit of Radiology, University of Sheffield, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, UK.
authors.forename: James M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Wild
mesh_terms: D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008168:Lung / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon / Q000379:methods*
keywords: chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension; dynamic contrast enhanced; magnetic resonance imaging; perfusion; pulmonary hypertension