Assessment of the radionuclide angiographic left ventricular maximum time-varying elastance calculation in man

This investigation was designed to determine whether left ventricular (LV) maximum time-varying elastance (Emax) calculations obtained using equilibrium radionuclide angiography (RNA) were comparable to those obtained using biplane contrast cineangiography (CINE), and whether simple, indirect P-V relations might provide reasonable, alternative estimates of Emax. Accordingly, we studied 19 patients with simultaneous high-fidelity micromanometer LV and fluid brachial artery (Ba) pressure recordings, CINE, and RNA under control conditions and during methoxamine and nitroprusside infusions. Emax was defined for CINE and RNA as the maximum slope of the linear relation of isochronal, instantaneous P-V data points obtained from each of the three loading conditions. The indirect P-V relations were similarly obtained from Ba peak (P) pressure versus minimum RNA LV volume (BaP/minV) and Ba dicrotic notch (di) pressure versus minimum RNA LV volume (Badi/minV) data points. The mean heart rates and LV (+)dP/dtmax values were minimally altered during the three loading conditions. The isochronal Emax values ranged from 1.40 to 6.73 mmHg/ml (mean 4.13 +/- 1.99 s.d. mmHg/ml) for CINE and from 1.48 to 7.25 (mean 4.35 +/- 1.81 mmHg/ml) for RNA (p = N.S.). Similarly, the unstressed volumes ranged from -10 to 80 ml (mean 30 +/- 23 ml) for CINE and from -8 to 77 ml (29 +/- 21 ml) for RNA (p = N.S.). The individual, isochronal Emax values by RNA correlated with those by CINE (r = 0.86). In 14 of the 19 patients, the BaP/minV and Badi/minV relations correlated with the isochronal Emax values calculated by RNA (r = 0.83 and 0.82, respectively), and these relations also correlated with the Emax values calculated by CINE (r = 0.82 and 0.78, respectively). The slope and V0 values for the BaP/minV and Badi/minV relations underestimated those for Emax by RNA and CINE (p less than 0.01 and p less than 0.05, respectively, for both). Thus, the isochronal Emax values calculated using RNA are comparable to those obtained using CINE in man. Moreover, indirect P-V relations underestimate these Emax values, but they are linearly related with the isochronal Emax values calculated by RNA and CINE. Consequently, these indirect P-V relations may provide a more simple, alternative estimate of LV contractile function in man.