The usefulness of radionuclide assessment in a patient with angina pectoris

In the present study, the usefulness of cardiovascular nuclear medicine was evaluated in detection of coronary heart disease and efficacy of Nitrol. We studied 47 year-old patient with angina pectoris (intermediate form) using the cardiovascular nuclear methods. Myocardial imaging with intravenous thallium-201 revealed low uptake area during exercise, and the defect zone improved after Nitrol was administrated sublingually. Gated cardiac pool imaging data with technetium-99m autologous erythrocytes were quantitatively analyzed by computer to determine regional left ventricular contribution to ejection fraction (EF). In our patient, EF decreased from 57% to 40.8% during exercise and increased to 59% after sublingual administration of Nitrol. The results of this study suggest that radionuclide assessment during exercise and on drug administration provide a new useful diagnostic approach for patients with suspected coronary heart disease. (author)