Detection of intracavitary masses on gated scans: a phantom study

A series of 1.5, 2.0 and 3.0 cm diameter paraffin balls were placed on a 3 cm tether within a simulated left ventricular balloon phantom to determine the maximal balloon volume that permitted identification of the lesion. When images were recorded with the phantom stationary, the lesions could be detected at 100, 280 and 360 ml volumes, respectively. When the phantom was set in motion with a fixed 80 ml stroke volume, the lesions were detected at 120, 320 and 360 ml, respectively. These findings suggest that gating does not decrease lesion detection even when the lesion is freely mobile, and a 1.5 cm lesion would be difficult to detect in an enlarged ventricle, but 2 and 3 cm lesions could be detected even in the presence of moderate ventricular enlargement.