[Determination of ventricular volumes by a non-geometric method using gamma-cineangiography]. / Détermination des volumes ventriculaires par une méthode non géométrique utilisant la gamma-cinéangiographie.

The authors suggest a new way of determining ventricular volume by a non-geometric method using gamma-cineangiography. The results obtained by this method were compared with those obtained by a geometric methods and contrast ventriculography in 94 patients. The new non-geometric method supposes that the radioactive tracer is evenly distributed in the cardiovascular system so that blood radioactivity levels can be measured. The ventricular volume is then equal to the ratio of radioactivity in the LV zone to that of 1 ml of blood. Comparison of the radionuclide and angiographic data in the first 60 patients showed systematic values--despite a satisfactory statistical correlation (r = 0.87, y = 0.30 X + 6.3). This underestimation is due to the phenomenon of attenuation related to the depth of the heart in the thoracic cage and to autoabsorption at source, the degree of which depends on the ventricular volume. An empirical method of calculation allows correction for these factors by taking into account absorption in the tissues by relating to body surface area and autoabsorption at source by correcting for the surface of isotopic ventricular projection expressed in pixels. Using the data of this empirical method, the correction formula for radionuclide ventricular volume is obtained by a multiple linear regression: corrected radionuclide volume = K X measured radionuclide volume (Formula: see text). This formula was applied in the following 34 patients. The correlation between the uncorrected and corrected radionuclide volumes and the angiographic volumes was improved (r = 0.65 vs r = 0.94) and the values were more accurate (y = 0.18 X + 26 vs y = 0.96 X + 1.5).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Preservation of human erythrocytes in the liquid state: biological results with a new medium.

Red blood cells (RBC) were collected with citrate-phosphate-dextrose (CPD) in a blood-pack optimal additive system. After concentration to 90% hematocrit they were diluted with saline-adenine-glucose medium (SAG-RBC), and stored for 35 days. In this work the RBC were stored in the presence of leukocytes. The SAG medium allows RBC conservation during 35 days at +4 degrees C. The adenosine triphosphate (ATP) level of RBC is compatible with their survival. During the first 2 weeks, hemolysis of SAG-RBC was not greater than in CPD blood. Nevertheless, hemolysis reached 1.49% on day 35, and there was a marked increase in RBC osmotic fragility. Scanning electron-microscopic studies of 35-day RBC showed that the majority of them became echinocytes. After incubation in fresh frozen plasma, the RBC recovered satisfactory osmotic resistance and normal disc shape. The post-transfusion viability was normal with greater than 70% recovery after 48 h. The in vivo restoration of 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (2,3-DPG) was rapid in the transfused SAG-RBC, 50% of the initial 2,3-DPG level being restored in 1 h. The in vivo studies proved that the functional quality of these RBC was compatible with their use in transfusion. The most important problem concerns the supernatant hemoglobin level of the SAG-RBC to be used for massive transfusion.

Diagnosis of splenosis: the advantages of splenic scintiscanning with Tc 99m heat-damaged red blood cells.

We present one case of peritoneal splenosis, which was not confirmed by the splenic scintiscan with 99mTc-sulphur colloid, but whose diagnosis, carried out during a second scintiscan with 99mTc-heat-damaged RBC, was confirmed by laparotomy and histology. This case confirms that, for the diagnosis of splenosis, heat-damaged RBC scintigraphy must be used rather than either sulphur colloid scintigraphy or computed-tomography.

Factors influencing the quantification of valvular regurgitation by gated equilibrium radionuclide angiography.

To test the clinical validity of the stroke volume ratio (SVR) and the factors influencing its value we determined it in a population of 41 patients free of valvular regurgitation. The SVR was estimated from multigated blood pool scans in left anterior oblique position by two methods. The first method followed the classical formula of the left to right ventricular stroke count ratio. The second method used the same formula except that the right atrial activity emanating from the area of right atrioventricular overlap as traced at right ventricular end-systole, was subtracted from the right ventricular stroke count. The SVR averaged 1.25 +/- 0.18 (range 0.97-1.80) by the first technique and 1.05 +/- 0.12 (range 0.82-1.36) by the second (P less than 0.001). In our results the SVR is not correlated to either ejection fraction or angiographically determined left ventricular volumes. Conversely the SVR is correlated with the left to right end-diastolic volume ratio evaluated from radionuclide counts measured at right and left ventricular end-diastole (r = 0.48, P less than 0.01). This may be due to variations in the area of right atrioventricular overlap, depending on the size of the ventricular chamber. It is postulated that the accuracy of SVR determination could be enhanced by subtraction of the right atrial activity from the right ventricular activity at end-systole. In patients free of valvular regurgitation the LV/RV stroke volume ratio approaches unity and the variability of the results is smaller. Interobserver and intraobserver variability is reduced using the Fourier phase approach.