[Analysis of left to right ventricular stroke count ratio by gated radionuclide angiocardiography: detection and quantitation of valvular regurgitation and shunts (author's transl)].

The stroke count ratio (SC ratio: SCL/SCR) for left to right ventricular enddiastolic-endsystolic count differences was obtained from LAO multi-gated cardiac blood pool scintigrams for quantitative assessment of valvular regurgitation and shunts. SC ratio, 1.48 +/- 0.24 (mean +/- S.D.) in 21 normal subjects, was decreased in 7 patients with atrial septal defects (ASD) and in one with isolated tricuspid regurgitation (TR), and increased in 15 patients with aortic regurgitation (AR) and in 6 with mitral regurgitation (MR). In post-surgical reassessment of 3 patients, the ratio was restored in normal range. Comparison between SC ratio and angiographic estimates of regurgitation revealed good agreement. Regurgitant fraction (RF) in AR or MR and shunt ratio (SR) in ASD were calculated by the formula: RF = 1-1.48/SC ratio, and SR = 1-SC ratio/1.48, respectively. These were derived by assuming that an excess of stroke counts was due to regurgitant or shunt flow and that the coefficient in counting ventricular radioactivity was 1.48. Agreement was found between RF or SR measured by this formula and by the invasive method. This method permits noninvasive quantitation in patients with valvular regurgitation and shunts without complicated computer procedures.