Evaluation of Myocardial Perfusion Imaging SPECT Parameters and Pharmacologic Stress Test with Adenosine Versus Coronary Angiography Findings: Are They Diagnostically Concordant?

OBJECTIVES: In this study our first aim was to evaluate the diagnostic concordance of myocardial perfusion scintigraphy (MPS) by pharmacological stress test with adenosine (APST) with coronary angiography (CAG). The secondary aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between CAG findings and automated analysis parameters such as left ventricular ejection fraction, summed stress score (SSS), summed rest score, summed difference score (SDS), stress MPS defect percentage ratio (extent) and transient ischemic dilation (TID) obtained by myocardial perfusion imaging single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). METHODS: A total of 129 patients (62 male, 67 female, median age: 60.02) undergoing MPS due to suspicion of coronary ischemia who also underwent subsequent CAG in the last year were included in this study, their MPS data and CAG results were compared. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant diagnostic concordance when visual evaluation of MPS, quantitative MPS parameters and exercise treadmill test (ETT) electrocardiography results were used alone. In fact, diagnostic concordance was higher when automated analysis parameters like TID, SSS and extent values were added to MPS SPECT visual analyses. There was diagnostic concordance in 57.9% of APST patients and 41.7% of ETT patients. There was diagnostic concordance in 75.8% of APST patients and 52.6% of ETT patients who were older than 65 years of age. CONCLUSION: In our study, we found that the use of APST during MPS increases diagnostic concordance with CAG. Therefore, we think that it would be appropriate to use APST in women and elderly patients with limited exercise habits. The CAG diagnostic mismatch is far above what it should be when MPS reporting is only done with visual data, and it is not supported by quantitative data such as TID, SSS, SDS and extent.