Radionuclide evaluation before and after medical or surgical myocardial revascularization

Myocardial perfusion scintigraphy and radionuclide angiography performed in the resting state or during the course of exercise testing may provide clinically relevant information that is helpful in decision making in patients with coronary artery disease. These noninvasive techniques may be particularly useful in assessing the functional severity of coronary artery disease in patients presenting with chest pain, and could be employed to assist in differentiating between ischemic and infarcted or scarred myocardium. By the identification of high-risk and low-risk subsets based on certain radionuclide and exercise test findings, coronary arteriography with a view toward revascularization would be recommended in the former and medical therapy in the latter. Patients with mild symptoms and a low-risk scintigraphic pattern or functional response to stress could be spared an invasive procedure until symptoms became progressive and refractory to medical treatment. In this review, the value and limitations of /sup 201/Tl scintigraphy and radionuclide angiography in the patient being considered for coronary bypass surgery, transluminal angioplasty, or who receives thrombolytic therapy are discussed