Determination of Diastolic Function by Radionuclide Ventriculography in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease

To assess the diagnostic value of the analysis of cardiac diastolic function by radionuclide ventriculography (RVg) for the detection of coronary artery disease (CAD), we determined the left ventricular peak filling rate (PFR) and time to peak filling rate (TPFR) in 30 normal subjects (mean age 49.6±7.9) and in 30 patients with catheterization-proven CAD and normal (> 50 %) left ventricular ejection fraction (mean age 52.9± 7.2) by RV g. The PFR in patients with ÇAD was found to be significantly reduçed when compared with the normal subjects (2.27±0.60 end-diastolic volume/second [EDV /s] versus 2.76±0.57 EDV/s, p<0.01). TPFR was longer in patients with CAD than in normal subjects (216±32 ms versus 191±29 ms, p<0.01). Among patients with CAD, PFR and TPFR were significantly different than the normals in the groups with left main-three vessel disease and one vessel disease while they were not found to be different compared to the normals in the group with two vessel disease. Considering a PFR of> 2.50 EDV/s normal, the sensitivity and specificity of PFR for the detection of CAD was found to be 70 % for both. It is concluded that diastolic dysfunction is demonstrable by RVg in patients with CAD whose systolic function is normal and this may have a role in the diagnosis of CAD patients with high risk and who cannot exercise.