Functional Imaging of the Right Heart in Various Clinical Conditions Including Left to Right Shunts

Abstract

Although most of the interest in radionuclide ventriculography (RNV) evaluation of the heart has centred around the left ventricle (LV), Schad and Nickel (1979) and Berger et al. (1979a) described the usefulness of first pass radionuclide assessment of the right ventricle (RV). In routine first pass RNV studies, data are available for right heart evaluation as the bolus passes through the RV, but most laboratories process only the LV information. However, RV evaluation can be useful and should be performed more often in cases where the clinical picture is confusing and where LV analysis does not satisfactorily explain the diagnosis. The same type of functional images described in Chapter 2 applies to RV studies. In addition to ejection fraction (EF), RV volumes, and pulmonary transit times can be calculated. The cases discussed in this chapter are only a few examples of potential applications of information available through right heart evaluation. Function of the RV can be significantly affected by a number of clinical conditions. Some of these will be discussed briefly.