[Detectability of stress-induced ischemic lesion in previous myocardial infarction using 201T1 myocardial single photon emission computed tomography].

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the detectability of stress-induced ischemic lesion in patients with previous myocardial infarction using single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) producing thallium-201 (T1-201) myocardial perfusion imagings (MPI). Seventy patients underwent stress SPECT by symptom-limited graded bicycle ergometer exercise using a dual-headed rotating gamma camera (Toshiba GCA70A) equipped with a computer system (GMS90). After intravenous administration of 2.5 mCi of T1-201, stress SPECT data at 10 minutes and delayed SPECT data at 3 hours after the injection were collected in the 64 X 64 matrix form covering 360 degrees directions by camera sweep of 180 degrees in 6 minutes, which were immediately followed by conventional planar imagings (PL). Transaxial tomographic image reconstruction was performed by convolution method using a Shepp-Logan's filter. Thereafter, sagittal and coronal tomographic images were reconstructed for about 2 minutes. Image interpretation was assessed visually. The results were as follows: Sensitivity and specificity in detecting the affected vessel with more than 75% stenosis by segmental analysis of myocardial images were higher by SPECT than by PL (LAD 89% and 65%, LCX 68% and 56%, RCA 89% and 76% in sensitivity and LAD 94% and LCX 75%, 92% and 94%, RCA 81% and 59% in specificity, respectively). Sensitivity in detecting both single (82%) and multivessel disease (76%) was fairly high. Detectability of stress-induced ischemia (i.e. occurrence of a new defect in patients with previous myocardial infarction and ST-segment depression in ECG) was significantly higher in SPECT (67%) than in PL (39%, p less than 0.005) and in ECG (39%, p less than 0.005). A perfusion defect in the extensive anterior wall, marked left ventricular dilatation and the widening of the angle toward the apex composed of septal and anterolateral walls in transaxial images were the findings characteristic of anterior myocardial infarction with severe dyskinesis. We conclude that stress SPECT is a useful noninvasive technique for the documentation of the number of vessels affected and severe wall motion abnormality of the LV and for the detection of stress-induced ischemia in previous myocardial infarction.