Objective: to estimate myocardial perfusion performing single-photon emission computed tomography before and in early period after coronary artery bypass grafting; to predict results of complete myocardial revascularisation by preoperative perfusion data.
Material and methods: Ten patients with stable coronary artery disease and resting left ventricular wall motion abnormalities (mean ejection fraction 37.7+/-6.5%, mean wall motion index 1.89+/-0.32) underwent 99mTc-MIBI myocardial perfusion single-photon emission computed tomography before and in early period (3 and 6 months) after coronary artery bypass grafting. We estimated myocardial perfusion, postoperative recovery and calculated scintigraphic indices.
Results: The mean number of distal anastomoses was 3.5+/-0.9 and all of patients had complete myocardial revascularization. Postoperatively 39 (66.1%) after 3 months and 45 (76.3%) after 6 months of 59 revasculared segments with different degree of myocardial perfusion disorders improved. Postoperative (after 6 months) index of myocardial perfusion recovery was found more than 2 times better than predicted preoperatively, because there was no estimation of hibernating myocardium preoperatively.
Conclusions: Estimation of myocardial perfusion changes with single-photon emission computed tomography in early postoperative period, especially after 6 months, confirms the excellent and final results of complete surgical myocardial revascularization. Present protocol of myocardial perfusion investigation gives incomplete information in prediction of postoperative results of complete myocardial revascularization. Myocardial perfusion study performed after nitrate administration is the method of choice to predict correct results.