Comparative value of 2-dimensional echocardiography and radionuclide angiography for quantitating changes in left ventricular performance during exercise limited by angina pectoris☆

Abstract To compare left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (EF) measurements made during exercise by 2-dimensional echocardiography (2-D echo) and gated equilibrium radionuclide angiography (RNA), 18 patients with angina pectoris were studied during graded upright bicycle ergometry. For RNA, the left anterior oblique view was used with the patient grasping the camera gantry during the 2-minute count acquisition required for EF calculation. For 2-D echo, biapical views were recorded with the patient's arms resting on a platform, and EF was calculated from volume measurements made using Simpson's rule. Exercise duration was similar for both studies, but EF at maximal exertion was higher by RNA than by 2-D echo (46 ± 15 % vs 35 ± 15 %, p