ASSESSING CORONARY-ARTERY DISEASE WITH DIPYRIDAMOLE TECHNETIUM-99M-TETROFOSMIN SPECT - A MULTICENTER TRIAL

Exercise Tc-99m-tetrofosmin myocardial scintigraphy is as accurate as exercise Tl-201 imaging. Thus far, no data are available on tetrofosmi n imaging during pharmacologic stress, We evaluated the feasibility of using Tc-99m-tetrofosmin myocardial SPECT during vasodilation with di pyridamole for detecting coronary artery disease. Methods: Sixty-four patients, enrolled in three centers in the U.S., underwent one-day dip yridamole/rest tetrofosmin SPECT. Coronary angiography, performed in 5 9 patients within 2 mo of the SPECT study, revealed normal coronary ar teries or insignificant coronary stenosis in 11 patients and significa nt (greater than or equal to 50% luminal diameter stenosis) coronary s tenoses in 48 patients. Results: Sensitivity and specificity of tetrof osmin SPECT for detecting coronary artery disease were 85% and 55%, re spectively, in the overall population and 81% and 55% in patients with out prior coronary artery bypass surgery, The overall sensitivity and specificity of tetrofosmin tomographic imaging for detection of indivi dual coronary stenoses were 53% and 72%, respectively, in the overall population and 54% and 80% in the patients without prior coronary arte ry bypass surgery, Conclusion: One-day dipyridamole/rest Tc-99m-tetrof osmin myocardial perfusion imaging is feasible and has a high sensitiv ity for detection of coronary artery disease.