Radionuclide quantitation of left-to right cardiac shunts using deconvolution analysis: concise communication.

Quantitative radionuclide angiocardiography (QRAC) was performed with and without deconvolution analysis (DA) in 87 children with various heart disorders. QRAC shunt quantitation was possible without DA in 70% of the cases and with DA in 95%. Among 21 patients with prolonged bolus injections, quantitation of the shunt was possible in 52% of the cases without DA an in all cases with DA. Correlation between oximetry and QRAC with DA was better than between oximetry and QRAC without DA. It is concluded that QRAC with DA is a more reliable, noninvasive means for detection and quantitation of left-to-right cardiac shunts than QRAC without DA.