[Automatic calculation of left ventricular volume and ejection fraction from gated myocardial perfusion SPECT--basic evaluation using phantom].

ABSTRACT

We evaluated accuracy of Quantitative Gated SPECT Program that enabled calculation of the left ventricular (LV) volume and ejection fraction by automatically tracing the contour of the cardiac surface. Cardiac phantoms filled with 99mTc-solution were used. Data acquisition was made by 180-degree projection in L type and 360-degree projection in opposed type. Automatic calculation could be done in all processes, which required 3-4 minutes. Reproducibility was sufficient. The adequate cut off value of a prefilter was 0.45. At this value LV volume was 93% of the actual volume in L type acquisition and 95.9% in opposed type acquisition. The LV volume obtained in L type was smaller than that obtained in opposed type (p < 0.05). The tracing of the defects was fair, on the cardiac phantoms with all of 90-degree defects and 180-degree defects of the septal and lateral wall. The LV volume was estimated to be larger on the phantom with 180-degree defect of the anterior wall, and to be smaller on the phantom of 180-degree defect of the inferoposterior wall. Because tracing was deviated anteriorly at the defects. In the patients with similar conditions to 180-degree defect of the anterior wall or inferoposterior wall, the LV volume should be carefully evaluated.