Simultaneous multivessel coronary artery spasm demonstrated by quantitative analysis of thallium-201 single photon emission computed tomography

Abstract Thallium-201 myocardial scintigraphy with quantitative analysis of emission computed tomography was performed during episodes of angina in 19 patients with variant angina and nearly normal coronary arteriographic findings. Eleven patients (group I) were shown by arteriography to have spasm in 2 or more large coronary arteries. Eight patients (group II) had spasm in only 1 coronary artery. In 7 patients in group I, significant diffuse perfusion defects simultaneously appeared in multiple coronary artery regions on the scintigram (group IA). The extent and severity of the perfusion defect as measured by thallium-201 tomography were significantly greater in group IA than in group II (p