Thallium scan in patients with coronary artery disease: A preliminary report.

ABSTRACT

Exercise thallium studies of forty-eight patients performed to evaluate coronary artery disease were reviewed. The results of the exercise thallium studies were compared to those of exercise ECG tests done simultaneously, and coronary arteriography performed 2 weeks to more than one year after. The sensitivity and specificity of exercise thallium study were 81.8 and 100 percent whereas those of exercise ECG test were 81.8 and 50 percent, respectively. Sites of abnormalities detected by coronary arteriography correlated with 77.8 percent of thallium studies, but 44.4 percent of exercise ECG tests. The results of exercise thallium studies and exercise ECG tests agreed in 81.3 percent of patients. Exercise thallium study is sensitive and specific and has good correlation with coronary arteriography. It is useful in detection of coronary artery disease, evaluation of extent of the diseased myocardium as well as potency of coronary artery bypass graft.