Comparison of transient ischemic dilation ratios in SPECT and SPECT-CT myocardial perfusion imaging in the low pre-test probability group

Introduction: The main purpose of this study was to compare transient ischemic dilation (TID) ratios in SPECT-low dose CT and SPECT Myocardial Perfusion Imaging (MPI) by application of different quantitative programs and quantify the possible shift in the upper normal limits of TID ratio in the SPECT-CT MPI. Methods: 149 Patients with low pre-test probability for coronary artery disease (CAD), based upon Diamond and Forrester method entered the study. Each patient underwent both attenuation correction (AC) SPECT-CT MPI and non attenuation correction (NAC) SPECT MPI (two day Tc-99m sestamibi stress-rest protocol). Normalcy rates were also calculated and compared. The comparison was based on both visual interpretation and quantitative analysis. Results: In the low pre-test probability group visual interpretations lead to a statistically significant improvement in normalcy rate in the SPECT-CT acquisition compared to the SPECT MPI. Regardless of the stress type and software programs used, no significant difference was noted in the upper normal limits of the TID ratios between the AC and NAC acquisitions. Conclusion: The study showed superiority of SPECT-CT MPI to SPECT MPI in terms of normalcy rate. We also propose new upper normal limits of TID ratios for different sets of acquisition-gender-stress modality-software programs.