Nils P Johnson1, K Lance Gould. 1. Weatherhead PET Center For Preventing and Reversing Atherosclerosis, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Texas Medical School and Memorial Hermann Hospital, Houston, Texas, USA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to determine the quantitative low-flow threshold for stress-induced perfusion defects with severe angina and/or significant ST-segment depression during dipyridamole hyperemia. BACKGROUND: Vasodilator stress reveals differences in regional perfusion without ischemia in most patients. However, in patients with a perfusion defect, angina, and/or significant ST-segment depression during dipyridamole stress, quantitative absolute myocardial perfusion and coronary flow reserve (CFR) at the exact moment of definite ischemia have not been established. Defining these low-flow thresholds of angina or ST-segment changes may offer insight into physiological disease severity in patients with atherosclerosis. METHODS: Patients underwent rest-dipyridamole stress positron emission tomography (PET) with absolute flow quantification in ml/min/g. Definite ischemia was defined as a new or worse perfusion defect during dipyridamole stress with significant ST-segment depression and/or severe angina requiring pharmacological treatment. Indeterminate clinical features required only 1 of these 3 abnormalities. The comparison group included patients without prior myocardial infarction, or angina or electrocardiographic changes after dipyridamole. RESULTS: In 1,674 sequential PET studies, we identified 194 (12%) with definite ischemia, 840 (50%) studies with no ischemia, and 301 (18%) that were clinically indeterminate. A vasodilator stress perfusion cutoff of 0.91 ml/min/g optimally separated definite from no ischemia with an area under the receiver-operator characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.98 and a CFR cutoff of 1.74 with an AUC = 0.91, reflecting excellent discrimination at the exact moment of definite ischemia. CONCLUSIONS: Thresholds of low myocardial vasodilator stress perfusion in ml/min/g and CFR sharply separate patients with angina or ST-segment change from those without these manifestations of ischemia during dipyridamole stress with excellent discrimination. Stress flow below 0.91 ml/min/g in dipyridamole-induced PET perfusion defects causes significant ST-segment depression and/or severe angina. However, when the worst vasodilator stress flow exceeds 1.12 ml/min/g, these manifestations of ischemia occur rarely.
OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to determine the quantitative low-flow threshold for stress-induced perfusion defects with severe angina and/or significant ST-segment depression during dipyridamolehyperemia. BACKGROUND: Vasodilator stress reveals differences in regional perfusion without ischemia in most patients. However, in patients with a perfusion defect, angina, and/or significant ST-segment depression during dipyridamole stress, quantitative absolute myocardial perfusion and coronary flow reserve (CFR) at the exact moment of definite ischemia have not been established. Defining these low-flow thresholds of angina or ST-segment changes may offer insight into physiological disease severity in patients with atherosclerosis. METHODS:Patients underwent rest-dipyridamole stress positron emission tomography (PET) with absolute flow quantification in ml/min/g. Definite ischemia was defined as a new or worse perfusion defect during dipyridamole stress with significant ST-segment depression and/or severe angina requiring pharmacological treatment. Indeterminate clinical features required only 1 of these 3 abnormalities. The comparison group included patients without prior myocardial infarction, or angina or electrocardiographic changes after dipyridamole. RESULTS: In 1,674 sequential PET studies, we identified 194 (12%) with definite ischemia, 840 (50%) studies with no ischemia, and 301 (18%) that were clinically indeterminate. A vasodilator stress perfusion cutoff of 0.91 ml/min/g optimally separated definite from no ischemia with an area under the receiver-operator characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.98 and a CFR cutoff of 1.74 with an AUC = 0.91, reflecting excellent discrimination at the exact moment of definite ischemia. CONCLUSIONS: Thresholds of low myocardial vasodilator stress perfusion in ml/min/g and CFR sharply separate patients with angina or ST-segment change from those without these manifestations of ischemia during dipyridamole stress with excellent discrimination. Stress flow below 0.91 ml/min/g in dipyridamole-induced PET perfusion defects causes significant ST-segment depression and/or severe angina. However, when the worst vasodilator stress flow exceeds 1.12 ml/min/g, these manifestations of ischemia occur rarely.
Authors: Vasken Dilsizian; Henry Gewirtz; Nicholas Paivanas; Anastasia N Kitsiou; Fadi G Hage; Nathan E Crone; Ronald G Schwartz Journal: J Nucl Cardiol Date: 2015-05-15 Impact factor: 5.952
Authors: Jonathan B Moody; Benjamin C Lee; James R Corbett; Edward P Ficaro; Venkatesh L Murthy Journal: J Nucl Cardiol Date: 2015-04-14 Impact factor: 5.952