ASSESSMENT OF MYOCARDIAL PERFUSION WITH SINGLE-PHOTON EMISSION TOMOGRAPHY

In order to compare Tc-99m-Sestamibi to T1-201 in the assessment of my ocardial perfusion in the presence of coronary artery disease, 100 pat ients were studied with single photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT). Segmental analysis was carried out on 77 patients who underw ent cardiac angiogram. The overall sensitivity and specificity rates i n patients with myocardial infarction were respectively 92.5% and 98% for MIBI, 86.6% and 95% for T1; whereas in patients with chest pain, t hey were respectively 76.7% and 80% for MIBI, 69.8% and 70.5% for T1. Tc-MIBI correctly detected 11 lesions that were normal on T1-201, wher eas the latter detected one lesion that was missed by Tc-MIBI. Conclud ing, we have the impression that Tc-MIBI not only correlated well with T1-201 but also showed marginal superiority over T1-201. Thus, Tc-MIB I is a valid alternative to T1 whenever the latter is not available.