Comparison of Cadmium Zinc Telluride ECG-gated SPECT equilibrium radionuclide angiocardiography to magnetic resonance imaging to measure right ventricular volumes and ejection fraction in patients with cardiomyopathy

Abstract

Objective of this study was to determine the accuracy of Right ventricular function (RVF) assessed by Cadmium Zinc Telluride ECG-gated SPECT equilibrium radionuclide angiocardiography (CZT-ERNA). Twenty-one consecutive patients with cardiomyopathy (aged 54 ± 19 years; 62% male) were included. RV ejection fraction (EF) and volumes were analyzed by CZT-ERNA and compared with values obtained by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR). Mean values were not different between CZT-ERNA and MRI for RVEF (48.1 ± 10.4% vs. 50.8 ± 10.0%; P = 0.23). Significant correlation ( P < 0.0001) was found between CZT-ERNA and MRI for RVEF, RV end-diastolic volume, and end-systolic volume ( r = 0.81, r = 0.93, and r = 0.96, respectively). Bland–Altman analysis showed a mean difference (bias) between CZT-ERNA and MRI for RVEF of -2.69% (95% CI: -5.35 to - 0.42) with good agreement between the 2 techniques (limits of agreement, −14.3 to 8.99). Intraobserver, and interobserver reproducibility of RVF measure by CZT-ERNA was high. CZT-ERNA provides accurate, reproducible assessment of RVF and appear as a good alternative of cardiac magnetic resonance to evaluate the magnitude of RVF in patients with cardiomyopathy.