Characteristics of Tl-201 myocardial SPECT images of patients with coronary artery lesion of diagonal branch

Noninvasive detection of coronary artery lesion of diagonal branch is important. Utility of Tl-201 myocardial SPECT images for this purpose were studied in 9 patients with angina pectoris and 4 patients with myocardial infarction, in whom localized stenosis more than 75% was noted at diagonal branch. Position of basal margin of abnormal region in the coronal images lied between -30 degree and 30 degree and basal abnormal region was very narrow. Width of mid portion of abnormal region lied from 5 degree to 70 degree. Abnormal region due to diagonal branch was not noted in septal region. These results showed the utility of Tl-201 myocardial SPECT images for detecting coronary artery lesion of diagonal branch. (author)