Association between T wave morphology parameters and abnormal cardiac SPECT imaging

Abstract

Background: T-wave morphology dispersion (TMD) described the electrocardiographic T-wave heterogeneity during a single cardiac cycle. Total cosine R-to-T (TCRT) is the average of the cosines of the angles between the QRS and T vectors on the ECG. We examine the predictive value of TMD and TCRT calculation to assess abnormal myocardial perfusion.

Methods: Retrospective single center cohort study including all patients referred for evaluation of ischemia by myocardial SPECT scanning with no known history of ischemic heart disease, from 1 January 2019 to 31 December 2019. Study endpoint was the correlation between the calculated TMD and TCRT values and detection of myocardial injury or ischemia by myocardial SPECT.

Results: Among 606 patients, calculated TCRT was 0.401 ± 0.53 for the normal group and 0.283 ± 0.62 for the abnormal group (p = 0.007). Measured TMD was 22.9 ± 16.6 degrees (p < 0.001) in the normal group, compared to 31.5 ± 22.8 degrees (p < 0.001) for the abnormal group.

Conclusions: The results demonstrate a correlation between the decreased TCRT values and increase TMD and myocardial ischemia seen in SPECT results. The TCRT and TMD can be used as simple and non-invasive markers to predict abnormal SPECT results and ischemic heart disease in patients with no known cardiac history.

Keywords: Ischemia; Risk stratification; Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT); T-wave morphology dispersion (TMD); Total cosine R-to-T (TCRT).