Studies of regional myocardial blood flow: results in patients with left anterior descending coronary artery disease.

Measurements of regional myocardial blood flow have been performed rapidly and safely in man at the time of coronary arteriography. Xenon-133 was injected into the coronary artery and estimates of myocardial capillary perfusion were made by computer analysis of the multiple precordial tracer washout curves recorded with a scintillation camera. Blood flow rates/100 g/min in different areas of the heart were calculated by the Schmidt-Kety formula, using an assumed partition coefficient, and were related to the coronary vascular lesions by landmarks provided by the arteriograms. The flow significance of lesions was assessed by making measurements at rest and during interventions that increase coronary blood flow. Perfusion was also estimated in areas supplied by collateral vessels, and regions of scar were detected from the initial distribution of peak tracer activity. In patients with less than 50% obstructions apparent on coronary arteriograms and in those with greater than 50% isolated left anterior descending lesions average mean left ventricular (LV) myocardial perfusion values were not reduced below values found in patients with normal coronary arteries and normal cardiac function. However, in patients with significant two-vessel disease (LAD + right, LAD + circ) mean LV perfusion was significantly reduced. Average regional myocardial perfusion distal to significant lesions was not selectively reduced below the remainder of the ventricle unless the lesions were 100% obstructions. However, both total and distal regional myocardial perfusion increased less in 12 patients with greater than 50% lesions than in 12 others with normal arteriograms or less than 50% lesions. Subnormal flow responses in all of the former group were associated with angina pectoris compared with no angina in the latter. The studies indicate the potential utility of the measurements of regional myocardial blood flow in the evaluation of patients with ischemic heart disease who are potential candidates for myocardial revascularization procedures.