Bilateral basal Xe-133 retention and ventilation/perfusion patterns in mild and subclinical congestive heart failure

The Xe-133 ventilation pattern in congestive heart failure (CHF) was assessed using 24 inpatient ventilation/perfusion studies performed to rule out pulmonary embolism. Patients with histories of CHF, myocardial infarction (MI), and cardiomyopathy were included in the study. Frank pulmonary edema, pulmonary embolism, and other known lung diseases such as chronic obstructive lung disease, tumor, and pneumonia were excluded. Fifteen of the 24 patients had abnormal ventilation scans. Twelve of the 15 showed bilateral basal Xe-133 retention on washout; the remaining 3 showed diffuse, posterior regional retention. On perfusion scans, 14 of the 15 abnormal ventilation patients showed evidence of CHF such as inverted perfusion gradient, enlarged cardiac silhouette, or patchy perfusion, and all of them had a history of CHF or cardiac disease. Nine of the 24 patients had normal ventilation scans, including normal washout patterns. Seven of the nine had normal perfusion (p less than 0.01). Four of the nine normal ventilation patients had a history of cardiac disease or CHF but no recent acute MI. Bilateral basal regional Xe-133 retention, coupled with perfusion scan evidence of CHF such as inverted perfusion gradient, enlarged cardiac silhouette, and patchy perfusion pattern, appears to be a sensitive and characteristic ventilation/perfusion finding in mild or subclinical CHF.