Evaluating Coronary Stenoses: What Arteriograms and Flow Measurements Can and Cannot Tell Us

Author(s):  
Francis J. Klocke
Author(s):  
Heinrich R. Schelbert

Image-based measurements of myocardial blood flow afford the assessment of coronary circulatory function. They reflect functional consequences of coronary stenoses, diffuse epicardial vessel disease and microvascular dysfunction and structural changes and thus provide a measure of the total ischemic burden. Measured flows contain therefore clinically important predictive information. Fundamental to flow measurements are the tissue tracer kinetics, their description through tracer kinetic models, high spatial and temporal resolution imaging devices and accurate extraction of radiotracer tissue concentrations from dynamically acquired images for estimating true flows from the tissue time activity curves. A large body of literature on measurements of myocardial blood flow exists for defining in humans normal values for flow at baseline and during hyperemic stress as well as for the myocardial flow reserve. The role of PET for flow measurements has been well established; initial results with modern SPECT devices are encouraging. Responses of myocardial blood flow to specific challenges like pharmacologic vasodilation and to sympathetic stimulation can uncover functional consequences of focal epicardial coronary stenoses, of conduit vessel disturbances and disease and impairments of microvascular function. Apart from risk stratification, flow measurements may allow detection of early preclinical disease, influence treatment strategies and identify therapy responses.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (17) ◽  
pp. 1904-1913 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nils P. Johnson ◽  
Hitoshi Matsuo ◽  
Masafumi Nakayama ◽  
Ashkan Eftekhari ◽  
Tsunekazu Kakuta ◽  
...  

1978 ◽  
Vol 17 (04) ◽  
pp. 142-148
Author(s):  
U. Büll ◽  
S. Bürger ◽  
B. E. Strauer

Studies were carried out in order to determine the factors influencing myocardial 201T1 uptake. A total of 158 patients was examined with regard to both 201T1 uptake and the assessment of left ventricular and coronary function (e. g. quantitative ventriculography, coronary arteriography, coronary blood flow measurements). Moreover, 42 animal experiments (closed chest cat) were performed. The results demonstrate that:1) 201T1 uptake in the normal and hypertrophied human heart is linearly correlated with the muscle mass of the left ventricle (LVMM);2) 201T1 uptake is enhanced in the inner (subendocardial) layer and is decreased in the outer (subepicardial) layer of the left ventricular wall. The 201T1 uptake of the right ventricle is 40% lower in comparison to the left ventricle;3) the basic correlation between 201T1 uptake and LVMM is influenced by alterations of both myocardial flow and myocardial oxygen consumption; and4) inotropic interventions (isoproterenol, calcium, norepinephrine) as well as coronary dilatation (dipyridamole) may considerably augment 201T1 uptake in accordance with changes in myocardial oxygen consumption and/or myocardial flow.It is concluded that myocardial 201T1 uptake is determined by multiple factors. The major determinants have been shown to include (i) muscle mass, (ii) myocardial flow and (iii) myocardial oxygen consumption. The clinical data obtained from patient groups with normal ventricular function, with coronary artery disease, with left ventricular wall motion abnormalities and with different degree of left ventricular hypertrophy are correlated with quantitated myocardial 201T1 uptake.


1975 ◽  
Vol 14 (04) ◽  
pp. 301-309
Author(s):  
A. Marczak ◽  
A. Moszczyńska-Kowalska ◽  
H. Kowalski

SummaryThe relative solubility coefficient of 133Xe and the tissue-blood partition coefficient for the aqueous humour vitreous body, conjunctiva and external eye muscles of the rabbit were determined in vitro at 37° C and at various haematocrit values. The partition coefficient for haematocrit 40 was: for the aqueous humour 0,49 ml/ml, for the vitreous body 0,50 ml/ml, for the conjunctiva 0,81 ml/g and for the external eye muscles 0,77 ml/g. It was found that the solubility of 133Xe in rabbit erythrocytes is about 50 per cent higher than that in human red cells. The consequences of this fact for the precision of blood flow measurements by the method of tissue clearance are discussed.


1999 ◽  
Vol 38 (06) ◽  
pp. 172-177
Author(s):  
H. Bailer ◽  
Marianne Gwechenberger ◽  
Martha Pruckmayer ◽  
A. Staudenherz ◽  
G. Kronik ◽  
...  

Summary Aim: The simultaneous computation and display of wall motion and perfusion patterns in a single 3D ventricular model would considerably ease the assessment of ECG-gated Tc-99m-sestamibi SPECT, yet the effect on the accuracy of allocating regional perfusion has so far not been validated. Methods: 3D perfusion mapping (3D Perfusion/Motion Map Software) was compared to the visual assessment of ungated tomographic slices and polar perfusion mapping (Cedars-Sinai PTQ) by correlation analysis and receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis at different cut-off levels for coronary stenoses in 50 patients (11 single-, 22 two-, 16 three-vessel disease). Ungated SPECT data were obtained by adding the intervals prior to reconstruction and displaying conventional tomographic slices. All display options were visually assessed in 8 ventricular segments according to a 4-point scoring system and compared to the graded results of coronary angiography. Results: All three display options showed a comparable diagnostic performance for the detection of severe stenoses. The diagnostic gain for the detection of stenoses above 59% was highest for ungated tomographic slices, followed by ungated polar mapping and 3D mapping. Regional assessment revealed a limited performance of 3D mapping in the proximal anterior and distal lateral wall. Polar mapping showed a balanced regional performance. Conclusion: 3D Perfusion mapping provides comparable information to conventional display options with the highest diagnostic strength in severe stenoses. Further improvement of the algorithm is needed in the definition of the valve plane.


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