Comparison of Indium-111 Platelet Scintigraphy and Two-Dimensional Echocardiography in the Diagnosis of Left Ventricular Thrombi

In a study comparing indium-111 platelet scintigraphy and two-dimensional echocardiography as methods of identifying left ventricular thrombi, the results obtained with both techniques were verified at surgery or autopsy in 53 patients--34 with left ventricular aneurysms, and 19 with mitral-valve disease. Left ventricular thrombi were found at surgery or autopsy in 14 of the patients with aneurysms and in none of those with mitral-valve disease. Thirteen of 53 echocardiograms (25 per cent) were technically inadequate and excluded from the analysis. In the group with aneurysms, the sensitivity of scintigraphy in detecting thrombi was 71 per cent, and that of echocardiography was 77 per cent. The specificity of scintigraphy was 100 per cent, and that of echocardiography was 93 per cent. We conclude that indium-111 platelet scintigraphy and two-dimensional echocardiography have useful and complementary roles in the detection of left ventricular thrombi. Both these noninvasive techniques can be used to monitor therapy.