A miniature cadmium telluride detector module for continuous monitoring of left-ventricular function.

Abstract
A miniature CdTe detector module for continuous monitoring of ventricular function using an equilibrium radionuclide blood-pool label is described. The detector and collimator are small, light and suitable for direct attachment to the chest wall. Clinical studies in 18 patients using a prototype system demonstrated reasonably good correlation with left-ventricular ejection fractions (LVEF) determined by 1st-pass studies performed with a multicrystal scintillation camera (r = 0.74) and gated equilibrium studies performed with a computerized NaI probe (r = 0.76). The CdTe device may be useful in patients in intensive and coronary care units as well as in ambulatory patients.