• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
• /
• v.35 no.6
• /
• pp.364-370
• /
• 2001

Purpose: In the revascuarization of ischemic dysfunctional myocardium, stunned myocardium was reported to recover function earlier than hibernating myocardium. It was also suggested that stunning and hibernation could be discriminated by reversibility of perfusion impairment on myocardial SPECT. In this study, we investigated the time course of functional recover after CABG according to reversibility of perfusion impairment. Materials and Methods: In 92 patients with coronary artery disease, Tl-201 rest/dipyridamole stress Tc-99m-MIBI gated SPECT was performed before, 3 months after, and 17 months after CABG. Using a 20-segment model, segmental perfusion and systolic thickening were automatically quantified. Perfusion-impaired segments with abnormal thickening were classified by reversibility into reversible (REV) and irreversible (IRREV) groups. The proportions of function-recovered segments were compared between groups and also between 3 months and 17 months in each group. Results: A total of 129 segments were Included In the analysis, and 76 were REV and 53 were IRREV. At 3 months after CABG, 61 segments (80%) in REV group showed functional recovery while 28 segments (53%) in IRREV group did (p<0.001). However, at 17 months after CABG, 60 segments (79%) in REV group and 37 segments (70%) un IRREV group showed functional recovery (p=n.s.). When comparing 3 months and 17 months in each group, REV group showed no difference, while IRREV group showed significant further improvement (p<0.05). Conclusion: In viable myocardium with ischemic myocardial dysfunction, the segments with reversible perfusion impairment recover function earlier after revascularization than irreversible segments.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
• /
• v.18 no.1
• /
• pp.122-126
• /
• 2014

Purpose: The new reconstruction algorithms (NRA) provided by vendor aim to shorten the acquisition scan time. Whereas depending on the installed version AutoQuant program used for myocardial SPECT quantitative analysis did not contain the normal data that NRA is applied. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to compare the results according to AutoQuant versions in myocardial SPECT applied NRA and half-time scan (HT). Materials and Methods: Rest Tl and stress MIBI data of total 80 (40 men, 40 women) patients were gathered. Data were applied HT acquisition and ASTONISH (Philips) software which is NRA. Modified autoquant of SNUH and old version of AutoQuant (full-time scan) provided by company were compared. Comparison groups were classified as coronary artery disease (CAD), 24 hrs delay and almost normal patients who have a simple pain patient. Perfusion distribution aspect, summed stress score (SSS), summed rest score (SRS), extent and total perfusion deficit (TPD) of each 25 patient who have above diseases were compared and evaluated. Results: The case of CAD, when using re-edited AutoQuant (HT) SSS and SRS showed about 30% reduction (P<0.0001), Extent showed about 38% reduction and TPD showed about 30% reduction in the tendency (P<0.0001). In the score of the perfusion, especially on the part of infero-medium, infero-apical, lateral-medium and lateral-apical regions were the biggest change. The case of the 24 hrs delay patient SRS (P=0.042), Extent (P=0.018) and TPD (P=0.0024) showed about 13-18% reduction. And the case of simple pain patient, comparison of 4 results showed about 5-7% reduction. Conclusion: This study was started based on expectation that results could be affected by normal patient data. Normal patient data is possible to change by race and gender. It was proved that combination of new reconstruction algorithm for reducing scan time and analysis program according to scan protocol with NRA could also be affected to results. Clinical usefulness of gated myocardial SPECT is possibly increased if each hospital properly collects normal patient data for their scan acquisition protocol.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
• /
• v.27 no.2
• /
• pp.210-217
• /
• 1993

To compare the myocardial viability in patients suffering from total occlusion of the right coronry artery (RCA) with the angiographic collaterals, intracoronary injection of Thallium-201 (T1-201) was done to 14 coronary artery disease (CAD) patients (pts) with total occlusion of RCA and into four normal subjects for control. All 14 CAD pts had Grade 2 or 3 collateral circulations. There were 14 male and 4 females, and their ages ranged from 31 to 70 years. In nine pts, T1-201 was injected into left main coronary artery (LCA) ($300{\sim}350{\mu}Ci$) to evaluate the myocardial viability of RCA territory through collateral circulations. The remaining five pts received T1-201 into RCA ($200{\sim}250{\mu}Ci$) because two had intraarterial bridging collaterals and three had previous successful PTCA. Planar & SPECT myocardial perfusion images were obtained 30 minutes, and four to five hours after T1-201 injection. Intravenous T1-201 reinjection (six pts) or $^{99m}Tc-MIBI$ (two pts) were also performed in eight CAD pts. Intracoronary myocardial perfusion images were compared with intravenous T1-201 (IV T1-201) images, ECG, and ventriculography. Intracoronary T1-201 images proved to be superior to that of IV T1-201 due to better myocardial to background uptake ratio and more effective in the detection of viable tissue. We also found that perfusion defects were smaller on intracoronary T1-201 images than those on the IV T1-201. All of the 14 CAD pts had either mostly viable myocardium (seven pts) or large area of T1-201 perfusion (seven pts) in RCA territory, however ventriculographic wall motion and ECG did not correlate well with intracoronary myocardial perfusion images. In conclusion, total RCA occlusion patients with well developed collateral circulation had large area of viable myocardial in the corresponding territory.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
• /
• v.31 no.1
• /
• pp.73-82
• /
• 1997

Regional myocardial blood flow (rMBF) can be noninvasively quantified using N-13 ammonia and dynamic positron emission tomography (PET). The quantitative accuracy of the rMBF values, however, is affected by the distortion of myocardial PET images caused by finite PET image resolution and cardiac motion. Although different methods have been developed to correct the distortion typically classified as partial volume effect and spillover, the methods are too complex to employ in a routine clinical environment. We have developed a refined method incorporating a geometric model of the volume representation of a region-of-interest (ROI) into the two-compartment N-13 ammonia model. In the refined model, partial volume effect and spillover are conveniently corrected by an additional parameter in the mathematical model. To examine the accuracy of this approach, studies were performed in 9 coronary artery disease patients. Dynamic transaxial images (16 frames) were acquired with a GE $Advance^{TM}$ PET scanner simultaneous with intravenous injection of 20 mCi N-13 ammonia. rMBF was examined at rest and during pharmacologically (dipyridamole) induced coronary hyperemia. Three sectorial myocardium (septum, anterior wall and lateral wall) and blood pool time-activity curves were generated using dynamic images from manually drawn ROIs. The accuracy of rMBF values estimated by the refined method was examined by comparing to the values estimated using the conventional two-compartment model without partial volume effect correction rMBF values obtained by the refined method linearly correlated with rMBF values obtained by the conventional method (108 myocardial segments, correlation coefficient (r)=0.88). Additionally, underestimated rMBF values by the conventional method due to partial volume effect were corrected by theoretically predicted amount in the refined method (slope(m)=1.57). Spillover fraction estimated by the two methods agreed well (r=1.00, m=0.98). In conclusion, accurate rMBF values can be efficiently quantified by the refined method incorporating myocardium geometric information into the two-compartment model using N-13 ammonia and PET.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
• /
• v.37 no.5
• /
• pp.269-277
• /
• 2003

목적: 게이트 심근관류 스펙트는 심근의 관류와 좌심실 기능을 동시에 평가할 수 있는 유용한 방법이다. 현재, 게이트 영상 획득시 8 단위영상이 널리 사용되지만, 아직 가장 적절한 단위영상의 수에 대해서는 논의의 여지가 있다. 본 연구는 동일한 환자에서 8 단위영상과 16 단위영상으로 게이트 심근관류 스펙트를 2회 연속적으로 시행하여 국소적 심근관류, 좌심실 용적과 구혈률등을 비교하였다. 대상 및 방법: 42명(평균 연령: 55세, 남: 녀=26: 16)의 관상동맥 질환이 의심되거나 알려진 환자를 대상으로 안정시 Tc-99m MIBI를 이용한 게이트 스펙트를 8 단위영상과 16 단위영상으로 2회 연속하여 시행하였다. 좌심실의 확장기말 용적, 수축기말 용적과 구혈률을 각각 얻었으며 확장기말의 단층영상을 18 분절로 나누고 각 분절마다 심근의 관류정도를 4등급으로 나누어 국소적 심근관류를 평가하였다. 결과: 8 단위영상과 16 단위영상 게이트 스펙트에서 국소적 심근관류의 일치도는 85.7% (tau-b=0.786, p<0.001)로 우수하였다. 두 방법간에 1등급의 차이는 100 분절(13.2%), 2등급 차이는 8 분절(1.1 %)이 있었고 3등급 차이는 없었다. 좌심실의 확장기말 용적, 수축기말 용적, 구혈률은 두 방법간에 높은 상관성을 보였으며(r=0.993, 0.989, 0.935), 좌심실 구혈률은 8 단위영상을 사용할 때 평균 1.8% 낮게 측정되어 통계적인 유의성은 있었으나(p<0.05), 그 차이는 크지 않았다. 결론: 8 단위영상과 16 단위영상을 사용한 게이트 심근관류 스펙트에서 국소적 심근관류의 일치도는 우수하였으며, 좌심실의 기능적 계수의 차이도 크지 않았다. 비록 높은 단위영상을 사용했을 때 더 정확하고 자세한 정보를 얻을 수 있다 하더라도, 구혈률과 용적 등을 얻는 일상적인 임상검사에는 8 단위영상 또한 그 역할을 충분히 할 수 있을 것으로 사료된다.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
• /
• v.36 no.6
• /
• pp.381-391
• /
• 2002

Purpose: The presence of perfusion defect may influence the left ventricular mass (LVM) measurement by quantitative gated myocardial perfusion SPECT (QGS), and ischemic myocardium, usually showing perfusion defect may produce post-stress LV dysfunction. This study was aimed to evaluate the effects of extent and reversibility of perfusion defect on the automatic measurement of LVM by QGS and to investigate the effect of reversibility of perfusion defect on post-stress LV dysfunction. Subjects and Methods: Forty-six patients (male/female=34:12, mean age=64years) with perfusion defect on myocardial perfusion SPECT underwent rest and post-stress QGS. Forty patients (87%) showed reversible defect. End-diastolic volume (EDV), end-systolic volume (ESV), LV ejection fraction (EF), and LV myocardial volume were obtained from QGS by AutoQUANT program, and LVM was calculated by multiplying the LV myocardial volume by the specific gravity of myocardium. Results: LVMs measured at rest and post-stress QGS showed good correlation, and higher correlation was founded in the subjects with fixed perfusion defect and with small defect (smaller than 20%). There were no significant differences in EDVs, ESVs and EFs between obtained by rest and post-stress QGS un patients with fixed myocardial defect. Whereas, EF obtained by post-stress QGS was lower than that by rest QGS in patients with reversible defect and 10 (25%) of them showed decreases in EF more than 5% in post-stress QGS, as compared to that of rest QGS. Excellent correlations of EDVs, ESVs, EFs between rest and post-stress QGS were noted. Patients with fixed defect had higher correlation between EDVs, ESVs, EFs than patients with reversible defect. Conclusion: These results suggest that perfusion defect can affect LVM measurement by QGS and patients with reversible defect shows post-stress LV dysfunction more frequently than patients with fixed perfusion defect.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
• /
• v.30 no.4
• /
• pp.493-501
• /
• 1996

To assess contribution of T1-201 rest-24 hour delay redistribution in detection of viable myocardium, we studied the predictive value of this redistribution in 17 patients who peformed rest-24 hour delay perfusion SPECT before bypass surgery. Regional wall motion was compared with gated SPECT in 10 patients and echocardiography in 7 patients before and after bypass surgery. Rest and 24 hour delayed uptakes were scored from 0 (normal perfusion) to 3 (defect). In rest SPECT, 56 segments showed perfusion decrease. Thirty four segments(61%) improved after surgery and were defined as viable Nineteen(34%) segments had more uptake of T1-201 at 24 hour delay, and the other 37 segments did not. In 81%(25/31) of segments with mildly decreased perfusion, wall motion after bypass surgery improved, 57% (8/14) of segments with severely decreased perfusion improved, and 9%(1/11) of segments with defects improved. In 14 among 19 segments which had more T1-201 uptakes at 24 hour delay, wall motion was improved(positive predictive value of redistribution: 74%). 20 among 37 segments which had persistent decreases in rest-24 hour redistribution improved and 17 did not(negative predictive value: 46%). Segments having severe perfusion decrease or defects showed improved wall motion after surgery in 64%(7/11), if it had redistribution at delay. Segments with either mildly decreased uptake in resting or rest-delayed redistribution showed improved wall motion in 76%(32/42). Among the 14 segments which showed improvement in wall motion, 10 had partial reversibility in stress-rest images and the other 4 had persistent perfusion defects in stress-rest images. These 4 segments were found viable only with rest-24 hour delayed perfusion SPECT. We concluded that rest T1-201 uptake or redistribution at 24 hour delay should be referred as an evidence to warrant postoperative improvement of abnormal wall motion and we could predict myocardial viability with preoperative rest-24 hour delay perfusion SPECT in the segments with rest perfusion decreases.