Dipyridamole thallium imaging in patients being considered for vascular procedures
T. F. Kresowik, T. R. Bower, S. A. Garner, M. Grover-McKay, E. E. Slaymaker, W. J. Sharp, J. J. Hoballah and J. D. Corson
Department of Surgery, University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City.
We routinely performed intravenous dipyridamole thallium imaging and
resting radionuclide ventriculography on 190 patients being considered for
elective vascular procedures. Patients with thallium redistribution
underwent coronary arteriography. Patients in group 1 (n = 78) had clinical
evidence of coronary artery disease, and patients in group 2 (n = 112) had
no history or electrocardiographic evidence of coronary artery disease. The
frequency of thallium redistribution was not significantly different in the
two groups (45% in group 1 and 46% in group 2). Coronary arteriography
identified severe three-vessel or left main disease in eight patients (10%)
in group 1 and 16 patients (14%) in group 2. Selection of patients for
dipyridamole thallium imaging prior to vascular reconstruction should be
based on whether or not documentation of the extent of coronary artery
disease would influence therapy rather than on clinical indicators of
coronary disease.
