[Radionuclide Methods in the Assessment of Anthracycline-Induced Cardiotoxicity]

To compare diagnostic efficacy of multigated acquisition (MUGA) scan and Tc-99m MIBI gated SPECT for evaluation and forecast of anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity.

We included into this study 80 patients (72 women and 8 men, mean age 43 ± 4.2 years) with malignant tumors without overt pathology of the cardiovascular system. These patients received doxorubicin (50 mg/m2 per course) based cytostatic therapy. All patients were studied either by MUGA (n = 40) or 99MTc MIBI gated SPECT (n = 40) before initiation of chemotherapy 1 hour after first administration of doxorubicin and after the 4th course.

After administration of 50 mg/m2 of doxorubicin 14 patients according to MUGA scan and 16 patients according to 99mTc MIBI gated SPECT had significant (≥ 10%) reduction of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Significant inhibition of systolic function in these patients remained after the 4th course of treatment. Individual analysis of the MUGA and 99mTc MIBI gated SPECT data registered after the fourth course (achievement of total doxorubicin dose of 200 mg/m2) showed that ≥ 10% LVEF reduction in response to the first dose of doxorubicin could predict the development of cumulative cardiotoxicity.

MUGA scan and 99mTc MIBI gated SPECT can be applied with equal effectiveness for assessment of acute and chronic anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity in patients with malignant tumors. LVEF reduction ≥ 10% in response to the first dose of doxorubicin appeared to be a predictor of development of chronic cardiotoxicity.