Evaluation of Left Ventricle Performance in Patients with Ischemic Heart Disease Using Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) in Comparison with Echocardiography

Background: Ischemic heart disease is a major cause of the diastolic heart failure. Risk of heart failures was increased with microvascular coronary disease, which is characterized by left ventricular stiffness with impaired relaxation and reduced compliance. Aim of this study is to estimate the effect of the severity of myocardium ischemia on the left ventricle ejection fraction and left ventricular volume using SPECT with 99mTc MIBI and to compare the results with the echocardiography. The study included 117 subjects with ischemic heart disease were examined using SPECT and echocardiography techniques. The following parameters were measured: left ventricular end systolic volume (LVESV) , left ventricular end diastolic volume (LVEDV) , and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Results show that the change difference in EDV between the two technique was (98.79%) with insignificant (p > 0.05). While the change in the LVEF% between both groups was (105.40%) with significant (p <0.05). On the other hand, the difference in ESV and EDV/ESV ratio for both groups were (95.52%), and (103.61%) respectively with insignificant (p >0.05). It was concluded that SPECT with 99mTc MIBI had a good relation with the echocardiography technique for evaluation of the left ventricular ejection fraction and the left ventricular volumes. The results showed that LVEF was decreased in patients with severe ischemic disease.