Objective: To evaluate the degree of pulmonary hypertension in patients with rheumatic heart disease using radionuclide pulmonary perfusion imaging.
Methods: The pulmonary perfusion in 25 patients with rheumatic heart disease was examined using scintigram with macroaggregates of (99m)Tc-labeled human serum albumin (PPS) before and 7 days after operation. PPS was analyzed for (1) pulmonary perfusion steady time (PT), right upper and lower lung count ratio (RULR). The results were compared with those of catheterization examination during the operation.
Results: The pulmonary arterial systolic pressure (PAs) and total pulmonary resistance (TPR) were (60 +/- 21) mm Hg and (421 +/- 106) dyn if PT > or = 20 seconds and RULR > or = 2; The PAs and TPR were (28 +/- 5) mm Hg and (188 +/- 28) dyn if PT < 20 seconds and RULR < 2. The PPS changed in most of the patients during early operation.
Conclusion: The degree of injury in pulmonary vascular in patients with rheumatic heart disease could be quantitatively analysed by PPS.