Direct imaging of viable myocardium by gated SPECT in patients with ischaemic left ventricular dysfunction

The study group comprised 17 patients (15 men, mean age 58 +/- 9 years) with ischaemic LV dysfunction (ejection fraction a parts per thousand currency sign40%) who underwent nitrate-enhanced gated SPECT before and 6 months after coronary revascularization. A parametric image of viable myocardium (VIA) was obtained using a semiautomated method to subtract the point-to-point motion polar map from the perfusion polar map. A parametric image of segments with functional recovery (REC) was obtained by subtracting the baseline motion polar map from the motion polar map after revascularization.

The aim of the study was to evaluate a novel polar map of myocardial viability obtained by gated SPECT imaging to predict functional recovery after revascularization in patients with ischaemic left ventricular (LV) dysfunction.