Radionuclide angiocardiography in tricuspid atresia

In two cases of tricuspid atresia and one of severe tricuspid stenosis the Glenn and Fontan operation was performed. These patients were evaluated post-operatively by studying the distribution of the ventilation with Xe-133 on a gamma camera; the pulmonary circulation was evaluated by injection through antecubital and pedal veins of TC99mMAA and angiography was performed by "in vivo" tagging of red blood cells with TC99m04 preceded by the administration of stannous pyrophosphate. The scintigraphic findings in two cases consisted of decreased ventilation of the left lung and grossly normal perfusion of both lungs. In one case there was abundant collateral because of partial occlusion of the anastomosis between the superior vena cava and right pulmonary artery. The patients also had angiocardiography with contrast medium; the correlation between the scintigraphic and angiocardiographic findings was excellent.