LOCALIZING INDIVIDUAL CORONARY-ARTERY OBSTRUCTIONS WITH THE DOBUTAMINE STRESS ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY

The diagnostic accuracy of detecting individual coronary artery lesion s using dobutamine stress echocardiography was evaluated in 206 patien ts with clinical manifestations of angina pectoris. The sensitivity, s pecificity, and accuracy in detecting individual coronary artery lesio ns was described. The sensitivity was higher in the single-vessel grou p than in the double- or triple-vessel group. Furthermore, the sensiti vity of dobutamine stress echocardiography in localizing vascular terr itories was greater for proximal segment lesions than for distal segme nt lesions. The increment of total score and score index at peak dose did not reach statistical significance between the left main lesion an d the double-vessel lesions of left anterior descending artery and lef t circumflex artery (4.88 +/- 1.44 vs, 3.79 +/- 0.39, nonsignificant; 0.83 +/- 0.25 vs. 0.54 +/- 0.06, nonsignificant). In conclusion, altho ugh dobutamine stress echocardiography is sensitive for diagnosing cor onary artery disease, localizing individual coronary artery lesions is less sensitive for triple-vessel disease and distal lesions.