Abstract

ALEXANDERSON, Erick et al. Evaluation of coronary artery disease by myocardial perfusion imaging in women. Arch. Cardiol. Méx. [online]. 2005, vol.75, n.1, pp.35-41. ISSN 1665-1731.

The early diagnosis of coronary artery disease continues to be a challenge in women because non invasive diagnostic tests to evaluate ischemia, such as stress test are less accurate in this group of patients. The aim of the study was to assess the value of myocardial perfusion imaging with SPECT for the detection of ischemia. Methods: We studied 151 consecutive women who were assessed by SPECT with Tc-99m Sestamibi, stress test and coronary angiography. Sensitivity and specificity was calculated for each test. Results: The prevalence of angiographycally significant coronary artery disease was 71.5%. The sensitivity and specificity of myocardial perfusion imaging for the detection of ischemia was 91.6% and 87.9% respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of stress test was 43% and 96.1%. Accuracy of myocardial perfusion imaging was higher in the group of patients older than 50 years of age, in whom severe coronary artery disease was more prevalent. Conclusions: The result of this study suggest that myocardial perfusion imaging is a very useful tool for detection of ischemia in women with CAD, especially for those over 50 years of age, being superiorto other non invasive tests as stress test

Keywords : Myocardial ischemia; Women; SPECT.