Radionuclide assessment of cardiac performance and myocardial perfusion in congestive cardiomyopathies.

To determine the reliability of radionuclide techniques in the diagnosis of congestive cardiomyopathy (COCM), the function of the right ventricle (RV) and left ventricle (LV) was evaluated in 32 patients with COCM and 21 normal subjects using radionuclide angiography (first pass and gated blood pool scan) combined with quantitative 201 thallium (Tl) myocardial perfusion imaging. In COCM parameters of RV and LV performance were significantly reduced (p less than 0.01); regional wall motion analysis revealed a reduced radial shortening ability (p less than 0.05). 201 Tl distribution within the myocardium was not different between COCM and N; however, segmental 201Tl-uptake was significantly reduced (p less than 0.01). RV free wall was visualized on 201Tl scan in 80% of patients with COCM. There was no correlation between RV free wall visualization and RV hemodynamics. Thus these scintigraphic aspects provide an atraumatic and sensitive technique for the evaluation of patients with COCM.