Use of Technetium-99m-Labelled Sodium Diphosphate Decahydrate to Assess Right Ventricle Dysfunction in Patients with Pulmonary Embolism

Abstract

The objective of this study was to identify the signs of the right ventricular dysfunction in patients with non-massive pulmonary artery thromboembolism (PE) using radionuclide gated blood pool SPECT (GBPS). The study included 55 patients: 40 with PE, and 15 - control group. Radionuclide studies included perfusion-ventilation scintigraphy and GBPS. GBPS results suggest that the signs of right ventricular dysfunction in PE are: the reduction in its stroke volume, as well as reduction in the peak filling and ejection rate. GBPS results allow distinguishing acute thromboembolism and chronic post-thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension.