Assessment of arterial blood flow in the microvasculature of the lower extremities in patients with chronic ischemia using a single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)

Introduction. Obliterating atherosclerosis of the lower extremity vessels is a chronic, steadily progressive disease of the leg arteries, with a high risk of limb amputation and death. Timely diagnosis and adequate treatment will help slow the disease progression, maintain the patient’s good health for a long time and avoid complications. Purpose. To study arterial blood flow in the microvasculature of the lower extremities, to qualitatively and quantitatively assess perfusion disturbances in functionally significant muscles of the lower extremities. Material and methods. Radionuclide examination of the main vessels and microvasculature of the lower extremities was performed in 36 patients, five of them with a diagnosis of lower extremity obliterating atherosclerosis in dynamics. Radiopharmaceuticals was administered through a catheter installed endovascularly above the aortic bifurcation when patients underwent arteriography of the lower extremity vessels, which also involves intra-arterial administration of a radiopaque contrast agent. Results. When processing the radiological study results, we visually assessed the distribution of radiopharmaceuticals in the vascular bed of the lower extremities, identified the asymmetry in the accumulation of radiopharmaceuticals as a percentage, quantified the accumulation of radiopharmaceutical pulses in the projection of the pelvic, thigh, leg and foot muscles, determining the level of accumulation in each of the areas of interest as a percentage. The radiological study results and direct aortic arteriography of the lower extremities with determination of the level of arterial stenosis confirmed the ischemic nature of the pain syndrome; and in the control study, the effectiveness of treatment with an improvement in perfusion parameters. Conclusions. Intra-arterial administration of radiopharmaceuticals makes it possible to assess the condition of the peripheral arterial bed, which has a significant role in the prognosis of lower extremity atherosclerosis and the results of reconstructive interventions. The method makes possible a hybrid topometric comparison of arterio-perfusion maps for diagnosis, planned treatment and monitoring of its results in dynamics.

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