Assessment of thallium scintigraphy and echocardiography during dobutamine infusion for the detection of coronary artery disease

Dobutamine infusion was performed in 16 patients following cardiac catheterization, and non-invasive assessment was performed with thallium SPECT and echocardiography. Dobutamine thallium scintigraphy was abnormal in 93% of patients with significant coronary artery disease. In addition, individual epicardial vessel involvement was identified by a corresponding perfusion defect with 88% sensitivity and 93% specificity. Dobutamine echocardiography revealed segmental wall motion abnormalities in 62% of patients with significant coronary disease. However, in six patients baseline segmental wall motion abnormalities on echocardiography improved during dobutamine infusion. Dobutamine thallium SPECT is a safe and useful test for the detection and localization of coronary artery disease. Dobutamine echocardiography is less useful in screening for coronary disease, but may detect areas of abnormally functioning myocardium having retained viability.