Evaluation of effect of coronary angioplasty using dipyridamole 99mTc myocardial imaging

To evaluate the effect of coronary angioplasty in patients with coronary artery disease, we performed dipyridamole 99mTc myocardial imaging pre-and post-angioplasty. Within one month, 97.8% myocardial segments showing redistribution before angioplasty became normal or improved after angioplasty, but none improved in segments showing 'fixed' defect only. Within one month, effective rate of treatment was 76.7% in 30 patients but 95.8% in 24 patients showing redistribution before angioplasty. Follow-up study within 6 months showed that the effective rate of treatment was 66.7% in 30 patients and 83.3% in 24 patients respectively. The myocardial imagings of three patients kept normal during one year follow-up. In 12.5% cases, the myocardial imaging showed reischemia which was confirmed by angiography