CLINICAL UTILITY OF TECHNETIUM-99M-TEBOROXIME MYOCARDIAL WASHOUT IMAGING

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical utility of Tc-9 9m-teboroxime myocardial washout imaging. The differential washout aft er a single tracer injection has been proposed as an alternative for c haracterization of the perfusion defects. Methods: Fifty-six patients received 5-min adenosine infusion. The stress dose of Tc-99m-teboroxim e was injected at 4.5 min and stress imaging with a single-headed SPEC T gamma camera was started at 6 min, washout imaging followed immediat ely. At 20 min, the rest tracer dose was injected at rest and imaging was started at 21.5 min. The reversibility of the perfusion defects on the washout and rest images was compared visually and quantitatively. Results: There was no statistical difference in the number of stress defects that improved on the washout and rest images. The visual inter pretation of the perfusion abnormalities was confirmed by quantitative analysis of relative segmental activity. Conclusion: Thus, Tc-99m-teb oroxime-adenosine washout myocardial perfusion imaging can be safely a nd quickly accomplished. Detected reversibility of the perfusion defec ts did not significantly differ from reversibility observed on the res t images.