Study of right ventricular function in ischaemic heart disease using radionuclide angiocardiography

A technique for the estimation of LVEF from first passage radionuclide angiocardiography was adapted to provide estimates of RVEF. In 17 subjects with no history of cardiovascular disease mean LVEF was 0.71 +/- 0.08 and mean RVEF 0.65 +/- 0.08. Mean values for 15 subjects with coronary artery disease but no previous history of myocardial infarction were 0.66 +/- 0.10 for LVEF and 0.65 +/- 0.08 for RVEF. Depressed ejection fractions were found after acute myocardial infarction. LVEF was lower after anterior (0.43 +/- 0.06) than inferior (0.51 +/- 0.10) infarction. RVEF was normal in the majority of subjects with anterior infarction (0.58 +/- 0.10) but was depressed after inferior infarction (0.50 +/- 0.05). Similar, although less marked, results were found in a group of subjects with old myocardial infarction.