[Combined non-invasive perfusion and function examinations in unclear chest pains: diagnosis without a heart catheter?].

Prior to diagnostic left heart catheterization, 22 patients with atypical chest pain underwent thallium scintigraphy and radionuclide ventriculography at rest and during exercise. Combining both noninvasive tests, 6/8 patients with coronary artery disease, 3/4 with cardiomyopathies, and 9/10 patients without heart disease were correctly identified. From detailed analysis of the results it is concluded that left heart catheterization should not be necessary if the radionuclide findings are typical of either coronary artery disease (localized perfusion defect and abnormal left ventricular function) or absence of heart disease (normal perfusion and function studies).