Markers of left ventricular dysfunction induced by exercise, dipyridamole or combined stress on ECG-gated myocardial perfusion scans

An index of left ventricular contraction can be extracted from the cavitary time-activity curve of electrocardiographic (ECG)-gated myocardial perfusion scans. To assess the induction of stress-induced myocardial depression, we compared contraction indexes derived from immediate poststress and delayed Tl images with indexes of ventricular dilation and lung uptake in the prediction of severe coronary artery disease (defined as two or more 90% stenoses). Stress procedures were performed in 93 patients with symptom-limited supine bicycle exercise alone, and in 227 with intravenous dipyridamole, combined where possible with exercise. The immediate and delayed contraction indexes reflected left ventricular dysfunction on ventriculography (P