Valor diagnóstico da cintilografia miocárdica em pacientes com doença coronariana multiarterial / Diagnostic value of myocardial radionuclide imaging in patients with multivessel coronary disease

FUNDAMENTO: A cintilografia de perfusão miocárdica (CPM) é um método não invasivo extremamente útil na avaliação de isquemia em portadores de doença coronária. Entretanto, persiste o conceito de que não seria um bom método para os portadores de doença coronária multiarterial. OBJETIVO: Avaliar o valor da CPM com gated-SPECT na identificação de isquemia induzida por estresse farmacológico em pacientes com diagnóstico de doença coronária obstrutiva multiarterial. MÉTODOS: Foram incluídos 68 pacientes com diagnóstico de doença coronária obstrutiva multiarterial pela cineangiocoronariografia (cine) para realização de CPM sob estímulo farmacológico com dipiridamol. Os exames foram analisados por dois médicos nucleares sem prévio conhecimento do resultado da cine. RESULTADOS: Dos pacientes, 64 (92,8 por cento) apresentaram alteração nas imagens de perfusão e 4 (7,2 por cento) apresentaram perfusão normal, sendo que, destes, três apresentaram alterações funcionais na análise do gated-SPECT. CONCLUSÃO: A CPM mostrou-se de grande valor na identificação de pacientes portadores de doença coronária multiarterial, já que a maioria dos pacientes apresentou alterações perfusionais sugestivas de isquemia.

BACKGROUND: Myocardial perfusion radionuclide imaging (MPRI) is a noninvasive method extremely useful for evaluating ischemia in patients with coronary disease. However, the idea that this method would not be effective for patients with multivessel coronary disease is still entertained. OBJECTIVE: Assess the value of MPRI with gated-SPECT for tracing pharmacological stress-induced ischemia in patients with multivessel obstructive coronary disease. METHODS: We evaluated 68 patients with multivessel obstructive coronary disease applying coronary angiography for performing MPRI under pharmacologic stress with dipyridamole. The tests were analyzed by two nuclear medicine physicians without prior knowledge of the result of the coronary angiography. RESULTS: Gated-SPECT revealed that, out of the patients, 64 (92.8 percent) showed images of perfusion abnormalities and 4 (7.2 percent) showed normal perfusion, given that three of the latter showed functional changes. CONCLUSION: MPRI has shown high value for identifying patients with multivessel coronary disease, since most patients had perfusion abnormalities indicative of ischemia.

Diagnostic value of myocardial radionuclide imaging in patientswith multivessel coronary disease

Myocardial perfusion radionuclide imaging (MPRI) is a noninvasive method extremely useful for evaluatingischemia in patients with coronary disease. However, the idea that this method would not be effective for patients with multivessel coronary disease is still entertained. Objective: Assess the value of MPRI with gated-SPECT for tracing pharmacological stress-induced ischemia in patientswith multivessel obstructive coronary disease. Methods: We evaluated 68 patients with multivessel obstructive coronary disease applying coronary angiography for performing MPRI under pharmacologic stress with dipyridamole. The tests were analyzed by two nuclear medicine physicians without prior knowledge of the result of the coronary angiography. Results: Gated-SPECT revealed that, out of the patients, 64 (92.8%) showed images of perfusion abnormalities and 4 (7.2%) showed normal perfusion, given that three of the latter showed functional changes.Conclusion: MPRI has shown high value for identifying patients with multivessel coronary disease, since most patientshad perfusion abnormalities indicative of ischemia.