The bifocal diverging collimator: a means of simultaneous biplane imaging of the heart during equilibrium radionuclide ventriculography

J Nucl Med. 1980 Jan;21(1):71-6.

Abstract

We have constructed a bifocal diverging collimator (BDC), capable of simultaneously recording two views of the heart 50 degrees apart on each half of a standard imaging field. In this study, simultaneous two-view blood-pool scans using the BDC were compared with the same two separate views obtained using an all-purpose parallel-hole collimator (PHC), assessing left-ventricular ejection fraction and regional wall motion in 20 patients undergoing contrast left ventriculography (CV). Ejection fraction by BDC correlated closely with PHC (r = 0.94) and with CV (r = 0.88). Regional wall motion was scored qualitatively on a five-point scale from 3 (normal) to--1 (dyskinesis) with an 88% agreement between BDC and PHC and PHC for segment scores. The percentages for agreement between BDC and CV, and between PHC and CV, were identical, 79%. A single blood-pool scan acquisition using a new BDC provides information about global and regional left-ventricular function in two planes, comparable with that of a PHC.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Coronary Disease / diagnostic imaging*
  • Coronary Disease / physiopathology
  • Diphosphates
  • Heart Ventricles / diagnostic imaging*
  • Heart Ventricles / physiopathology
  • Humans
  • Image Enhancement
  • Radionuclide Imaging / instrumentation*
  • Radionuclide Imaging / methods
  • Technetium
  • Thallium

Substances

  • Diphosphates
  • Technetium
  • Thallium