Evaluation of new data processing algorithms for planar gated ventriculography (MUGA)

Before implementing one of two new LVEF radionuclide gated ventriculogram (MUGA) systems, the results from 315 consecutive parallel patient studies were evaluated. Each gamma-camera acquisition was simultaneously processed by semi-automatic Medasys Pinnacle and by fully-automatic and semi-automatic Philips nuclear medicine computer systems. The Philips systems yielded LVEF results within +/- 5 LVEF percentage points of the Medasys system in fewer than half of the studies. The remaining values were higher or lower than those from the long-used Medasys system. These differences might have changed cancer patient chemotherapy clinical decisions in 54 cases (17% of studies) for one of the systems. As a result, our institution elected not to implement either new system.