Comparison of radionuclide ventriculography using SPECT and planar techniques in different cardiac conditions

Purpose: Accurate assessment of ventricular function is required to optimize therapeutic management of cardiac diseases. The aim of this study was to correlate planar equilibrium multigated acquisition (MUGA) with tomographic ventriculography (SPECT) in patients with diverse volumes and wall motion abnormalities. Methods: Eighty-three studies in 80 patients (56±14 years; 56% women) were classified according to ventricular dilation, wall motion abnormalities and systolic dysfunction. Left and right ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF and RVEF) and end-diastolic and end-systolic left ventricular volumes (EDV and ESV) were obtained using a commercial QBS program for SPECT. On planar acquisition, LVEF and RVEF were obtained using standard techniques and volumes were determined using the count-based method, without blood sampling. Results: A. Total group: With the planar method, LVEF was 44±17%, RVEF 42±13%, left EDV 147±97 ml (range 31-487 ml) and left ESV 93±85 ml (range 15-423 ml); wit