[Assessment of ejection fraction by cardiovascular magnetic resonance in comparison with 99mTc gated SPECT].
BACKGROUND: Impaired left ventricular (LV) function with decreased ejection fraction (EF) is a frequent finding in patients with ischaemic heart disease. As a non-invasive method, cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) has become an important diagnostic method in cardiology within the past decade, especially for assessing myocardial function. AIM: The purpose of this study is to compare EF estimated with 99mTc gated SPECT (GSPECT) and with CMR. METHODS: The study was performed in a group of 35 patients (11 F, 24 M; mean age 57 SD 10) after myocardial infarction. EF in CMR procedure was calculated using cine gradient echo sequences. GSPECT measured EF was estimated by Tc 99. RESULTS: The mean value of EF measured with scintigraphy was 50.5 +/- 17%, and measured with CMR 48.3 +/- 15%. The difference in mean values of EF was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: 1. EF in CMR was highly concordant with GSPECT. 2. The mean value of EF measured with CMR in 75% of study patients was smaller than in the scintigraphy group, but the difference was not statistically significant. 3. CMR is a simple, precise and reproducible diagnostic method for monitoring left ventricle systolic function, and which is an additional non-invasive imaging technique in cardiac diagnosis.