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 ( $$ \dot{V}{\text{o}}_{ 2} { \hbox{max} }/{\text{kg}} $$ V ˙ o 2 max / kg ) was calculated by the SPECT/CT and SC methods. Correlations were examined between the $$ \dot{V}{\text{o}}_{ 2} { \hbox{max} }/{\text{kg}} $$ V ˙ o 2 max / kg predicted by SPECT/CT or the SC method, and the actual $$ \dot{V}{\text{o}}_{ 2} { \hbox{max} }/{\text{kg}} $$ V ˙ o 2 max / 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 $$ \dot{V}{\text{o}}_{ 2} { \hbox{max} }/{\text{kg}} $$ V ˙ o 2 max / 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 $$ \dot{V}{\text{o}}_{ 2} { \hbox{max} }/{\text{kg}} $$ V ˙ o 2 max / 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 $$ \dot{V}{\text{o}}_{ 2} { \hbox{max} }/{\text{kg}} $$ V ˙ o 2 max / kg in the clinical setting.