[Prognostic value of thallium scintigraphy in diagnostic problem cases].

Quantitative myocardial scintigraphy was performed in 40 patients with a medium prevalence of coronary artery disease (CAD), i.e. in cases with diagnostic difficulties. The results were compared with those of coronary angiography and ventriculography performed within 6 months thereafter. Sensitivity of scintigraphy in 16 patients with CAD was 88% and specificity in 14 individuals without heart disease was 93%. But in 10 patients with non-coronary heart disease specificity decreased to 30%. Scintigraphic evidence of ischemia increased specificity to nearly 100% including patients with non-coronary heart disease but sensitivity was reduced to 69%. The results demonstrate that myocardial scintigraphy with 201Tl is useful in cases with suspected CAD if diagnostic difficulties arise during the early phase of investigation. But there are limitations due to a rather high prevalence of non-coronary heart disease in such groups.