Adenosine $^{99m}Tc-MIBI$ Scintigraphy in the Diagnosis of Coronary Artery Disease: Comparison with Exercise $^{99m}Tc-MIBI$ Scintigraphy

관상동맥 질환에서의 Adenosine 부하 $^{99m}Tc-MIBI$ 심근 스캔의 진단적 가치 : 운동 부하 $^{99m}Tc-MIBI$ 심근 스캔과의 비교

Pharmacologic coronary vasodilation in conjunction with myocardial scintigraphy has become an accepted alternative to dynamic exercise testing for the diagnosis of coronary artery disease. Although dipyridamole has traditionally been used for this purpose, it causes frequent side effect, which at times can be life-threatening. Moreover, dipyridamole dose not elicit maximal coronary vasodilation in a substantial number of patients receiving the usual i.v. dose. Adenosine is an endogenously produced compound that has significant effects as a coronary vasodilator and rapid onset action and extremely short half-life (< 10 seconds). The diagnostic accuracy and safety profile of adenosine $^{99m}Tc-MIBI$ myocardial scintigraphy were evaluated and comparison with exercise $^{99m}Tc-MIBI$ was performed. Twenty-eight subjects underwent $^{99m}Tc-MIBI$ imaging after adenosine infusion and exercise $^{99m}Tc-MIBI$ imaging. Adenosine was infused intravenously at a dose of 0.14mg/kg/body weight per minute for 6 min and MIBI was injected at 3 minute. Adenosine caused an incerease in heart rate ($64{\pm}12$ at baseline versus $74{\pm}16$ beats/min at peak effect, p<0.001), a mild decrease in systolic and diastolic blood pressure and a slightly increase in PR interval(p; NS). Side effects were reported in 92% of patients and were mostly mild in nature and promptly resolved within 1 or 2 minutes of termination of adenosine infusion. Facial flushing (53%), chest pain (36%), mild dyspnea (39%), headache (21%), throat discomfort (21%) were frequent symptoms. ST segment depression (> 1 mm) and second degree AV block in electrocardiography occured in 11% of the patients, respectively. The overall sensitivity and specificity for individual coronary stenoses in 16 patients underwent coronary angiography were 88% and 95%, respectively. The agreement ratio of segmental perfusion between adenosine and exercise images was 92% (Kappa index=0.82). In conclusion, $^{99m}Tc-MIBI$ myocardial perfusion scintigraphy with intravenous adenosine is a feasible, safe and highly accurate noninvasive technique for the detection of coronary artery disease and results are at least comparable with those of exercise $^{99m}Tc-MIBI$ scintigraphy.