Radionuclide angiography: Role of the stroke-volume ratio

Intracardiac shunts and valvular regurgitation impose an abnormal flow pattern and a ventricular volume overload condition that can be readily assessed by radionuclide angiography. Recent advances in the radionuclide angiographic measurement of ventricular volumes (diastolic, systolic, forward ejected, regurgitant, right, or left) have made it a practical technique for the detection, quantitation, and functional assessment of valvular regurgitation and shunts. The role of these new parameters in determining the prognosis and management of patients with ventricular overload requires further evaluation. In this review, the authors describe the proposed methods for comparison of total to systemic ventricular output and their use in the evaluation of patients with valvular regurgitation and shunts