Accuracy of serial myocardial perfusion scintigraphy with thallium-201 for prediction of graft patency early and late after coronary artery bypass surgery. A controlled prospective study.

To assess the accuracy of serial myocardial perfusion scintigraphy with thallium-201 (201Tl) to predict graft patency early and late coronary artery bypass surgery, rest and exercise 201Tl and coronary arteriography were performed preoperatively and 2 weeks and 1 year after operation. The scintigraphic results were compared with graft patency, symptoms, left ventricular function and physical work capacity in a consecutive series of 55 patients with a total of 154 grafts. Serial 201Tl had an 80% sensitivity, 88% specificity and 86% overall accuracy in detecting or excluding graft occlusion, which was predicted by reversible ischemia as well as persistent "new scar" segments. Occluded grafts were correctly localized by 201Tl scintigraphy in 61%. Postoperative apical 201Tl defects were frequent (two-thirds of cases), and were the result of intraoperative transapical venting of the left ventricle. After coronary bypass graft surgery, ejection fraction at rest was unchanged. Left ventricular end-diastolic pressure and physical work capacity improved significantly. In the presence of new perfusion defects detected postoperatively, physical work capacity was reduced significantly. New 201Tl defects in addition to typical or atypical angina provided a high probability of graft occlusion, while in the absence of new 201Tl defects all grafts were patent in more than 90% of patients, all of whom had no or only atypical chest pain. We conclude that serial 201Tl imaging after coronary artery bypass surgery is an accurate noninvasive method that can be used routinely to assess graft function, to localize spatially occluded grafts and to identify patients with a high likelihood of graft occlusion who may need invasive studies.