IDENTIFICATION OF SEVERE RIGHT-VENTRICULAR DYSFUNCTION BY TECHNETIUM-99M-SESTAMIBI GATED SPECT IMAGING

An 84-yr-old man with previous anterior wall myocardial infarction pre sented with shortness of breath and palpitations. His symptoms were at tributed to myocardial ischemia, and he was referred for a stress Tc-9 9m-sestamibi SPECT imaging study with gating. The images showed minima l loft ventricular ischemia, but a dilated and hypokinetic right ventr icle suggested pulmonary pathology as the probable etiology of his pre senting symptoms, A subsequent ventilation perfusion study was consist ent with the diagnosis of multiple pulmonary emboli. Thus, Tc-99m-sest amibi SPECT imaging with gating provides information about right ventr icular perfusion and function, enhancing the clinical Utility of stres s myocardial perfusion imaging.