Assessment of regional myocardial blood flow using the inert gas washout technique.

Abstract

The measurement of myocardial blood flow in man using the inert gas clearance technique is limited to several approaches and is always linked with invasive procedures. As coronary artery disease, the main object of these investigations, has a regional character, the techniques should be able to detect small differences in flow in the individual myocardial areas perfused by the major coronary branches. Sampling of the radiotracer can take place directly from the coronary sinus blood or the great cardiac vein, or indirectly, from the cardiac tissue by placing a gamma scintillation camera over the heart.