Use of first-pass radionuclide ventriculography in assessment of wall motion abnormalities induced by incremental atrial pacing in patients with coronary artery disease.

In order to show that stress-induced changes in ventricular function can be determined by radionuclide techniques, 13 patients with coronary artery disease were paced to angina. Changes in ejection fraction and regional wall motion were measured from contrast angiograms and first-pass nuclear angiograms performed using a multicrystal gamma camera. A count-volume method applied to the nuclear technique demonstrated a significant fall in ejection fraction on pacing. The area-length method was also applied to both techniques and a significant fall in ejection fraction was induced by pacing in both contrast and nuclear angiograms. There was a good correlation between ejection fraction