Quantitative relationship of stress Tc-99m sestamibi lung uptake with resting Tl-201 lung uptake and with indices of left ventricular dysfunction and coronary artery disease.

Background: We investigated the relationship of stress technetium 99m sestamibi lung uptake with rest thallium 201 lung uptake and with indices of left ventricular (LV) dysfunction and severity of coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients with known or suspected CAD undergoing stress testing and cardiac catheterization. Stress Tc-99m sestamibi lung uptake and both stress and rest Tl-201 lung uptake are associated with LV dysfunction and extent of CAD. Although the mechanism of lung uptake is thought to be similar for the two isotopes, their physiologic characteristics are different.