BACKGROUND: The work compares the results of shortened gated myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI), processed with „Myovation Evolution” software, with a study performed in a standard way.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted in a group of 95 patients (56 males and 39 females, age 62 ± 9 years, BMI 28 ± 4) with known or suspected CAD, without clinical history or any signs of a previous myocardial infarction. All patients underwent coronary angiography (CA) within 3 months of MPI. CA was used as a reference for diagnostic performance of MPI. Patients underwent a stress/rest 2-day MPI. Both studies were performed twice, with normal (25s) and shortened (13s) time per projection. Studies were processed using Myovation protocol (OSEM with 2 iterations and 10 subsets) for full time (FT) studies and a Myovation Evolution protocol dedicated to half time (HT) studies (OSEM with 12 iterations, 10 subsets). Reconstructed images, with and without attenuation correction (AC), were evaluated by 2 experienced nuclear medicine specialists (a consensus), with regard to image quality and perfusion, evaluated using a visual semi-quantitative method, applying a standard division of myocardium into 17 segments. Perfusion was assessed in every segment using a standard 5 grade scale. Summed stress scores were calculated for every patient and threshold values for detection of CAD were selected based on ROC analysis with CA treated as a reference method. After 2 months FT images were interpreted again by the same specialists.

RESULTS: The quality of images obtained from shortened and normal studies was equally good. All correlation coefficients between segmental scorings of FT and HT studies were high and statistically significant. Correlation coefficients between corresponding segments in FTAC and HTAC (i.e. with AC) studies were systematically higher than without AC. The agreement between FT and HT study results was equal to 81% for FT and HT studies and to 86% for FTAC and HTAC studies (p = 0.40). The repeatability of FTAC study assessments was equal to 94%. 95-percent confidence intervals calculated for agreement between FTAC and HTAC studies and the repeatability of FTAC study overlapped considerably. Correlation coefficients for EDV, ESV and EF values between FT and HT were high: 0.93, 0.96 and 0.88, respectively.

CONCLUSION: Myovation Evolution protocol used for reconstruction of myocardial perfusion studies with reduced number of counts requires AC. The agreement between the results of visual assessment of normal and reduced count studies is high and not worse than the agreement between repeat assessment of a full time study.