The accuracy of 1-day dual-isotope myocardial SPECT in a population with high prevalence of coronary artery disease.

Background: In order to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of the 1-day separate acquisition dual-isotope single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) protocol, using 201Tl for the rest and 99mTc-tetrofosmin for the stress images, a consecutive series of patients with suspected or known coronary artery disease (CAD) was studied that also underwent coronary angiography.

Methods: The results of myocardial SPECT, using a semi-quantitative visual analysis, were acquired in 123 patients and compared with the results of coronary angiography. Sensitivity and specificity were calculated, using thresholds of > or = 50 and > or = 70% stenosis.

Incremental prognostic value of myocardial SPET with dual-isotope rest (201)Tl/stress (99m)Tc-tetrofosmin.

The incremental prognostic value of dual-isotope myocardial perfusion scintigraphy using technetium-99m tetrofosmin for the stress images was evaluated in 597 consecutive patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease. We used semi-quantitative visual analysis with a five-point scoring system and calculated the summed stress score, the summed rest score and the summed difference score. During the 2-year follow-up period, 46 "hard" cardiac events occurred: 16 cardiac deaths and 30 non-fatal myocardial infarctions.