Gated fluorine 18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography: determination of global and regional left ventricular function and myocardial tissue characterization

Abstract

Background: Our objectives were to investigate the accuracy of global and regional left ventricular (LV) function parameters determined from gated fluorine 18 deoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) and to determine whether this approach complements viability imaging data for tissue characterization. Nongated FDG-PET is a clinical standard for viability imaging, but LV function is often determined with other techniques, which increases patient burden, expenditure, and co-registration errors. Better tissue characterization may be achieved if data were acquired with one test. Methods and results Forty-eight patients with LV dysfunction (including 35 with ejection fraction [EF] </=35%) underwent perfusion/FDG imaging with gating of the FDG images and radionuclide angiography (RNA) 6 +/- 6 days apart. Regional function (wall motion/thickening) and viability pattern (normal, mismatch, nontransmural scar, and transmural scar) were determined for 301 segments. Global EFs from FDG-PET (29.3% +/- 11.5%) and RNA (31.1% +/- 10.4%) were well correlated: EF(FDG-PET) = 0.91 x EF(RNA) + 0.91 (r = 0.83, P <.00001). Regional wall motion concordance between PET and RNA with three wall motion scores was 67% with moderate agreement (kappa = 0.50, P <.001). PET viability was also determined for each segment. The relative frequency of normal motion compared with abnormal motion decreased with worsening viability classification. Of the normal segments, 96 of 139 (69%) had reduced wall motion, suggesting repetitively stunned myocardium. Segments classified as normal or mismatch had a higher frequency of normal wall thickening (65% and 52%) than wall motion (31% and 17%). No segments classified as transmural scar exhibited normal wall thickening.

Conclusion: Gated FDG-PET accurately measures global LV function. Regional function can also be determined with reasonable accuracy. This approach also provides precise co-registration of function with metabolic information and thus improved tissue characterization of the myocardium. Gated FDG-PET has the potential to assist in optimizing management of this patient population.