Gated thallium tomography—potential for improved accuracy in the detection of coronary artery disease

Gated thallium-201 myocardial tomography incorporating perfusion profile analysis was used alone, to assess left ventricular wall perfusion and left ventricular wall movement together in 29 consecutive patients, without prior infarction, who presented with chest pain. All patients had had coronary and left ventricular angiography. The proportion of false positive perfusion defects was reduced when an analysis of corresponding wall movement was made. This combined technique resulted in an improved specificity compared with standard ²⁰¹Tl myocardial tomography.

This approach shows the functional effect of reversible ischaemia on regional myocardial contractility and would appear to be particularly useful in the assessment of patients who present with atypical chest pain.