Predicting exercise capacity after lobectomy by single photon emission computed tomography and computed tomography

Abstract

Objectives

This study compared the prediction of postoperative exercise capacity by employing lung perfusion scintigraphy images obtained with single photon emission computed tomography together with computed tomography (SPECT/CT) versus the common method of counting subsegments (SC method).

Methods

In 18 patients scheduled for lobectomy, predicted postoperative maximum oxygen uptake per kilogram body weight ($\dot{V}{\text{o}}_{ 2} { \hbox{max} }/{\text{kg}}$) was calculated by the SPECT/CT and SC methods. Correlations were examined between the $\dot{V}{\text{o}}_{ 2} { \hbox{max} }/{\text{kg}}$ predicted by SPECT/CT or the SC method, and the actual $\dot{V}{\text{o}}_{ 2} { \hbox{max} }/{\text{kg}}$ measured at 2 weeks (mean 15.4 ± 1.5 days) and 1 month (mean 29.1 ± 0.75 days) after surgery to determine whether SPECT/CT was more accurate than SC for predicting postoperative exercise capacity.

Results

There was a significant positive correlation between the $\dot{V}{\text{o}}_{ 2} { \hbox{max} }/{\text{kg}}$ predicted by SPECT/CT and the actual value at 2 weeks (r = 0.802, p < 0.0001) or 1 month (r = 0.770, p < 0.0001). There was also a significant positive correlation between the $\dot{V}{\text{o}}_{ 2} { \hbox{max} }/{\text{kg}}$ predicted by SC and the actual value at 2 weeks (r = 0.785, p < 0.0001) or 1 month (r = 0.784, p < 0.0001).

Conclusions

This study showed that both SPECT/CT and the SC method were useful for predicting postoperative $\dot{V}{\text{o}}_{ 2} { \hbox{max} }/{\text{kg}}$ in the clinical setting.