Quantification of myocardial blood flow in absolute terms using (82)Rb PET imaging: the RUBY-10 Study

JACC Cardiovasc Imaging. 2014 Nov;7(11):1119-1127. doi: 10.1016/j.jcmg.2014.08.003. Epub 2014 Oct 8.

Abstract

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to compare myocardial blood flow (MBF) and myocardial flow reserve (MFR) estimates from rubidium-82 positron emission tomography ((82)Rb PET) data using 10 software packages (SPs) based on 8 tracer kinetic models.

Background: It is unknown how MBF and MFR values from existing SPs agree for (82)Rb PET.

Methods: Rest and stress (82)Rb PET scans of 48 patients with suspected or known coronary artery disease were analyzed in 10 centers. Each center used 1 of 10 SPs to analyze global and regional MBF using the different kinetic models implemented. Values were considered to agree if they simultaneously had an intraclass correlation coefficient >0.75 and a difference <20% of the median across all programs.

Results: The most common model evaluated was the Ottawa Heart Institute 1-tissue compartment model (OHI-1-TCM). MBF values from 7 of 8 SPs implementing this model agreed best. Values from 2 other models (alternative 1-TCM and Axially distributed) also agreed well, with occasional differences. The MBF results from other models (e.g., 2-TCM and retention) were less in agreement with values from OHI-1-TCM.

Conclusions: SPs using the most common kinetic model-OHI-1-TCM-provided consistent results in measuring global and regional MBF values, suggesting that they may be used interchangeably to process data acquired with a common imaging protocol.

Keywords: CAD; PET; imaging software; reproducibility; rubidium-82.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Multicenter Study
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Coronary Artery Disease / diagnostic imaging*
  • Coronary Artery Disease / physiopathology
  • Europe
  • Female
  • Hemodynamics
  • Humans
  • Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted
  • Japan
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Models, Cardiovascular
  • Myocardial Perfusion Imaging / methods*
  • Observer Variation
  • Ontario
  • Positron-Emission Tomography
  • Predictive Value of Tests
  • Radiopharmaceuticals* / pharmacokinetics
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Rubidium Radioisotopes* / pharmacokinetics
  • Software
  • United States

Substances

  • Radiopharmaceuticals
  • Rubidium Radioisotopes