Exercise-induced changes in hepatic blood volume measured during cardiac equilibrium cineangiography: Relation to coronary anatomy and right ventricular function

Kenneth A. Brown, Robert D. Okada, Charles A. Boucher, James A. Rothendler, H. William Strauss, Gerald M. Pohost

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

6 Scopus citations

Abstract

The relation of exercise-induced changes in hepatic blood volume to right and left ventricular ejection fraction response to exercise and the presence of proximal right coronary artery disease was examined in 47 patients undergoing angiography for the evaluation of chest pain. Hepatic blood activity was measured on separate 20 second anterior static liver images at rest and peak exercise during supine exercise equilibrium radionuclide cineangiography using a small lead marker to allow reproducible placement of a hepatic region of interest. Average hepatic counts/picture element at exercise compared with rest were used to determine an exercise/rest hepatic blood volume ratio. Patients with normal coronary arteries (Group A, n = 10) and patients with disease limited to the left coronary artery (Group B, n = 19) showed a significant decrease in hepatic counts with exercise (exercise/rest ratio 0.74 ± 0.09 and 0.80 ± 0.09, respectively) and patients with proximal right coronary artery disease (Group C, n= 18) showed no change in hepatic counts (ratio 1.00 ± 0.09). Mean hepatic blood volume ratio was greater among patients demonstrating a decrease in right ventricular ejection fraction during exercise than among patients with no change (p < 0.01) or an increase (p < 0.001) in right ventricular ejection fraction. Among patients without proximal right coronary artery disease (Groups A and B), those with a decrease in left ventricular ejection fraction during exercise had a higher mean hepatic blood volume ratio than did patients who demonstrated an increase (p < 0.05) in left ventricular ejection fraction. If a hepatic blood volume ratio of 0.92 (mean of Group A + 2 standard deviations) was considered abnormal, only 2 (11%) of 19 patients with disease limited to the left coronary artery compared with 15 (83%) of 18 patients with proximal right coronary artery disease had an abnormal hepatic blood volume ratio. Hepatic blood volume response to exercise can be easily determined during exercise equilibrium radionuclide cardiac imaging. Measurement of such a response may be helpful in evaluating the presence of proximal right coronary artery disease and assessing right ventricular function during exercise.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)514-521
Number of pages8
JournalJournal of the American College of Cardiology
Volume2
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - 1983
Externally publishedYes

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Exercise-induced changes in hepatic blood volume measured during cardiac equilibrium cineangiography: Relation to coronary anatomy and right ventricular function'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this