Abstract |
The employment of gamma-ray scintillation camera with
the use of short-lived radioisotopic pharmaceuticals,
sucu as 99mTc sodium pertechnetate, have enabled us to
perform RI (radioisotopic) angiocardiography. Although
conventional cardiac catheterization or
angiocardiography using contrast media have been an
important diagnostic tool, they may carry some risks or
serious complications. The author investigated on RI
angiocardiography in twelve normal and twenty five
patients with cardiovascular diseases in an effort to
evaluate its diagnostic value. The results obtained
with this study are as follows; l. In normal subjects,
the scintillation camera transit time of arm-to-right
heart was found to be 2. 1¡¾0. 67 seconds, right
heart-to-lung 1. 5¡¾0. 40 seconds and lung-to-left
heart 3. 5¡¾0. 86 seconds. 2. Transformation or
displacement of the heart and the great vessel are
easily discriminatal by RI angiocardiography. Both in
the cases with tricuspid atresia and tetralogy of
Fallot, ventricular septal defects are well recongnized
by sequential RI angiocardiography. 3. It is also
helpful in determinining the site and extent of
obstruction, and estimatiing the postoperative course
both in the cases with superior vena cava syndrome and
pulmonary stenosis. 4. Pericarditis with effusion is
readilly diagnosed by RI angiocardiogram showing
characteristic "dead space" between intracardiac and
intrapulmonary radioactivity. 5. It was found that the
diagnostic accuracy of this study was 78. 4%. It is
concluded that above results obtained are useful and
accurate enough for the diagnostic screening methode
for clinical practice. |