Interpretive intra- and interobserver reproducibility of rest/stress Tc-99(m)-sestamibi myocardial perfusion SPECT in a consecutive group of male patients with stable angina pectoris before and after percutaneous transluminal angioplasty

Citation
A. Johansen et al., Interpretive intra- and interobserver reproducibility of rest/stress Tc-99(m)-sestamibi myocardial perfusion SPECT in a consecutive group of male patients with stable angina pectoris before and after percutaneous transluminal angioplasty, NUCL MED C, 22(5), 2001, pp. 531-537
Citations number
24
Categorie Soggetti
Radiology ,Nuclear Medicine & Imaging
Journal title
NUCLEAR MEDICINE COMMUNICATIONS
ISSN journal
01433636 → ACNP
Volume
22
Issue
5
Year of publication
2001
Pages
531 - 537
Database
ISI
SICI code
0143-3636(200105)22:5<531:IIAIRO>2.0.ZU;2-W
Abstract
Background Observer variability of Tc-99(m)-sestamibi myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) has rarely been investigated. The aim of our study was to eva luate the interpretive reproducibility with this technique. Patients We report on 108 consecutive male patients with stable angina pect oris, investigated before and after percutaneous transluminal angioplasty ( PTCA). Methods A 2-day rest/stress Tc-99(m)-sestamibi gated single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) protocol was used. MPI was interpreted by two independent observers without knowledge of clinical data, using a 20-segmen t scoring model. Results Intra- and interobserver agreement was found to be good to excellen t (kappa = 0.71-0.85) with regard to the overall diagnosis as well as the i ndividual vessel diagnosis (kappa =0.60-0.87). However, agreement was highe r for left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) and left circumflex co ronary artery (LCX) vascular territories than for the right coronary artery (RCA) territory. Moderate to good intraobserver agreement (kappa =00.54-0. 68) and slightly lower interobserver agreement (kappa =0.52-0.56) was found for segmental score interpretation. When comparing the interpretive reprod ucibility before and after PTCA intra- and interobserver agreement was bett er after PTCA, probably reflecting the increase in normal scans after revas cularization. Conclusions In a group of consecutive male patients with stable angina pect oris interpretive reproducibility (overall and individual vessel diagnosis) was good to excellent. However, segmental scoring reproducibility was mode rate to good. ((C) 2001 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins).