Cardiac tamponade: accurate diagnosis by radionuclide angiography

This study was performed to define the signs of cardiac tamponade on radionuclide angiography. The first pass studies were performed on a large field gamma camera, using a bolus of technetium pertechnetate. Three hundred and seventy-two studies were analysed. Cardiac tamponade requiring surgical intervention was present at the time in 28 studies. The diagnostic signs of cardiac tamponade on radionuclide angiography were: (1) Right ventricular compression--sensitivity 82%, specificity 97%, predicitive value of a positive result 72%, predictive value of a negative result 99%, and (2) Right atrial compression--sensitivity 21%, specificity 99%, predictive value of a positive result 75%, predictive value of a negative result 94%. Cardiac tamponade can be accurately diagnosed on radionuclide angiography and thus indicate those pericardial effusions which require urgent drainage.