[Measurement of tricuspid regurgitant volume by radionuclide angiocardiography]

A method to measure the absolute tricuspid regurgitant volume (TRV) using multigated equilibrium radionuclide angiocardiography is proposed. There was a significantly positive correlation between left and right ventricular stroke volume in 56 subjects with no regurgitation at rest (r = 0.881, p < 0.001) and during exercise (r = 0.884, p < 0.001), and each regression equation was obtained. Clinical studies were obtained 27 times in 22 patients with tricuspid regurgitation (TR). TRV was calculated by correcting right ventricular stroke volume using that regression equation. Patients with severe TR (grade III x IV classified from the pulsed Doppler) were well distinguished from patients with mild TR (grade I or II) by TRV. It is concluded that this method is well applicable to clinical study and useful in quantitative analysis of TR.