Characterization of Myocardial Blood Flow in End Stage Liver Disease Patients Undergoing Liver Transplant Evaluation

Conclusions: Despite having fewer cardiac risk factors, patients with ESLD have higher rMBF, lower sMBF and lower CFR when compared to age and gender matched control patients. The physiologic mechanisms for these findings are unclear, but the elevated rMBF could stem from physiologic shunting such as in hepatopulmonary syndrome. Reduced sMBF and CFR may be related to either a resistance to dipyridamole or due to an unexplained mechanism preventing increase in sMBF and CFR. Further investigation into this population is warranted.
Source: Journal of Nuclear Medicine - Category: Nuclear Medicine Authors: Tags: Cardiovascular Clinical Science: Advances in Clinical Utility of Myocardial Blood Flow Quantification Source Type: research