024 Validation with thallium 201 of a new cadmium-zinc-telluride (CZT) cardiac camera

Abstract

Novel dedicated ultrafast cardiac cameras had recently be introduced to improve myocardial perfusion imaging. We report the first validation study with thallium-201 and the new GE Discovery NM 530c CZT cardiac camera. We prospectively studied with thallium-201 153 consecutive patients referred for myocardial perfusion imaging at exercise (111 to 148 MBq) then redistribution (with a 37 MBq reinjection). We performed sequential acquisitions, first with conventional dual head tomographic Anger camera (CC) in 11 to 16 mn, then with CZT camera (CZT) in 5 mn, in prone then in supine position. – we excluded 7 patients: 1 for mispositionning, 1 for camera failure, 1 for too late acquisition after exercise, 1 for non acceptation of redistribution by the patient, 1 for motion of the patient. – acquisition was more comfortable with CZT for all patients. – counts rate was 3 times more with CZT than with CC (3.5 to 5 KCts/s vs 1 to 1.5). – myocardial counts rate was 6 to 8 times more with CZT than with CC. – comparison between CZT and CC: quality of CZT images was considered as better in 38%, equal in 59% and worse in 3% of cases; diagnostic conclusions were the same in 137 of 146 cases (94%); discordances were 2 artifacts with CC, 1 artifact with CZT, 4 early redistributions and 2 discordances about reversibility of thallium defect. – comparison between prone and supine with CZT: quality of prone images was considered as better in 41%, equal in 34% and worse in 25%; there were 2 times more artifacts in supine (14%) than in prone (7%) (p = 0.05). With thallium-201, the GE Discovery NM 530c CZT cardiac camera allows 5 minutes acquisitions with an increased image quality and a reliable diagnosis quality, both in prone and in supine positions.